Ravens going to state!

FAIRFIELD — On Substate final night, a team hopes its starting pitcher can be at his best, and both Hillcrest Academy and Pekin saw exactly that in a nail-biter of a Class 1A Substate 5 championship.

After splitting the regular season series, the two Southeast Iowa Super Conference North Division baseball teams battled in a rubber match that saw Phoenix Anderson and the Ravens narrowly escaped Henry Adam and the Panthers, as Hillcrest Academy grinded out a 1-0 win.

The win gives Hillcrest a ticket into next week’s Class 1A state tournament in Carroll. It’s the first state berth for the Ravens since 2008.

Hillcrest scored the only run of the game in the bottom of the first inning, when Mason Bender doubled home Seth Ours, who made it on base with a one-out walk. From that point on, it was all pitching and defense.

Hillcrest would only get two hits in the entire game, the double from Bender and a single by Liam Schrock, but the Ravens were so stellar on the defensive side, it wouldn’t matter.

Anderson gave up just two hits all night as well, though he did walk three and hit one batter. He struck out seven Pekin batters en route to victory.

The Panthers had chances to get onto the scoreboard. Pekin had the bases loaded in the sixth but couldn’t capitalize, and then Anderson settled in to go 1-2-3 in the seventh.

It’s Hillcrest’s first state tournament berth under the school name “Hillcrest Academy.” The Ravens had made the state baseball tournament twice when the school was named Iowa Mennonite.

Hillcrest is the No. 8 seed, and will play bright and early on Monday morning against top-seeded Remsen St. Mary’s. First pitch is set for 11 p.m., in Carroll.

The winner of Hillcrest Academy (17-7) and Remsen St. Mary’s (23-1) will play either Martensdale St. Mary’s (30-5) or Kee (32-10) in Wednesday evening’s semifinals.