Trout season: Fiery QND right-hander pitches with purpose to lead Raiders into sectional title tilt

Quincy Notre Dame pitcher Tyler Dance, right, celebrates with catcher Michael Stupavsky after striking out the final batter in a 2-0 victory over Shelbyville in the Class 2A sectional semifinals Wednesday at Lincoln Land Community College's Claude Kracik Field in Springfield, Ill. | Matt Schuckman photo

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The motivation to finish what he started sent Tyler Dance to the pitcher’s mound in the seventh inning with purpose. An eye-popping fastball accompanied him. The senior right-hander punctuated a two-hit shutout of Shelbyville in the Class 2A Pleasant Plains Sectional semifinals by striking out the Rams’ Kelton Logan on an 88…

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Photo gallery: Raiders win 30th straight game by beating Rams in sectional semifinals

The Quincy Notre Dame baseball players watch from the dugout during Wednesday's Class 2A Pleasant Plains Sectional semifinal against Shelbyville at Lincoln Land Community College's Claude Kracik Field in Springfield, Ill. | Matt Schuckman photo

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame baseball team won its 30th consecutive game Wednesday, beating Shelbyville 2-0 in the semifinals of the Class 2A Pleasant Plains Sectional at Lincoln Land Community College’s Claude Kracik Field. The Raiders (33-1) will face Gillespie (32-0) at 11 a.m. Saturday in the sectional title game. Muddy River Sports…

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Riding the storm out: QND baseball team beats rain, Shelbyville to earn spot in sectional championship game

Quincy Notre Dame second baseman Jack Linenfelser, right, and shortstop Alex Connoyer, center, react after Linenfelser tagged out Shelbyville's Kade Allen on a stolen base attempt to end the fifth inning of Wednesday's Class 2A sectional semifinal at Reiser Field in Pleasant Plains, Ill. Matt Schuckman photo

PLEASANT PLAINS, Ill. — The darkening clouds rolling in from the northeast mimicked the situation the Quincy Notre Dame baseball team faced. Ominous, very ominous. “I kept looking over my shoulder and seeing those clouds coming closer and closer to the point you see the line of rain at the right-field fence,” said Jack Linenfelser,…

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Photo gallery: QND baseball team vs. Shelbyville in Class 2A sectional semifinals

The Quincy Notre Dame baseball players warm up in the outfield prior to Wednesday's Class 2A sectional semifinal against Shelbyville. Matt Schuckman photo

PLEASANT PLAINS, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame baseball team ran its winning streak to 23 consecutive games and improved to 32-2 — the second-most single-season victories in program history — with Wednesday’s 2-1 victory over Shelbyville in the Class 2A sectional semifinals at Reiser Field. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman captured the Raiders’…

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