Schroeder’s seventh-inning heroics allow Blue Devils to split WB6 doubleheader

QUINCY — Joe Schroeder played the hero in the first game of Saturday’s Western Big 6 Conference doubleheader.

The Quincy High School baseball team needed another one in the nightcap.

The Blue Devils took the opener against Geneseo 2-1 as Schroeder delivered an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning. In the nightcap, the Maple Leafs tied the game in the sixth and picked up a 3-2 victory by scoring on fielder’s choice in the top of the eighth inning.

QHS had runners on base in both the sixth and seventh innings but couldn’t move them around.

In the opener, Blue Devils right-hander Noah Harbin allowed one run and five hits over six innings, striking out seven and walking two. Conner Schwindeler worked a perfect seventh inning with one strikeout to set up the winning rally.

Schwindeler led off the bottom of the seventh with a single and moved up when Luke Mettemeyer was walked. After a groundout moved both runners into scoring position, Harbin walked to load the bases. Schroeder followed with a single through the right side of the infield to plate the winning run.

Schroeder had two of the Blue Devils’ seven hits. Logan Eaton drove in Raulin Zanger with the tying run in the bottom of the sixth with a two-out single.

In the second game, the Blue Devils took a 2-1 lead in the fifth as Evan Sohn scored on an error and Schroeder scored on Brady Walker’s single. Schroeder and Grayson Cook each had two of the Blue Devils’ seven hits.

Cook allowed two runs and four hits over 5 ⅓ innings with eight strikeouts and two walks. Schroeder allowed one run and two hits over 2 ⅔ innings with three strikeouts.

The Blue Devils are 12-10 overall and 7-5 in the WB6.