(NORTH CLAY/CLAY CITY) North Clay is headed back to the IHSA Class 1A State Finals after an 8-0 super-sectional shutout of Goreville on Monday in Carbondale.
The Cardinals improved to 35-and-4 on the season and punched their ticket to Champaign with a dominant effort on the mound and at the plate. Jack Compton worked five scoreless innings; Ian Jones finished off the shutout in relief, and Trenton Ingram drove in three runs in the win. Cayden Craig tripled home a run in the opening inning, and Cody Zimdars added two hits.
North Clay will now play in the Class 1A state semifinals Friday at 1 p.m. at Illinois Field in Champaign against Putnam County. The Cardinals are back in the final four for the second time in school history and now sit two wins away from another state championship.