By Sean Duncan

PEORIA ? People can say what they will about Walther Lutheran?s incredible run through the Class 2A state playoffs. Sure, the Broncos have eked out one narrow victory after another. But one thing is for sure: Luck doesn?t beat the quality of teams and pitchers they have without it running out eventually.

On Friday, Walther didn?t need luck or a late-inning rally to advance. All the Broncos needed were their bats, and they used them, over and over, to club DuQuoin 15-2 in a five-inning Class 2A state seminal game at O?Brien Field.

Now the Broncos (18-14) will play defending Class 2A champion Teutopolis for the state championship Saturday at 5 p.m. Not bad for team that entered the playoffs with a 12-14 record.

 ?We have been the underdog since day one,? said junior 6-foot-3, 200-pound shortstop Chris Stevens, who went 3-for-3 with three doubles and four runs scored. ?We knew we would shock people. Our record did not reflect how good we are.?

In stark contrast to their last four playoff victories, the Broncos put DuQuoin (18-13) away in the first inning with six runs and cruised the rest of the way. Walther Lutheran, which was once 5-11 mid-way through the season, will now play for the program?s first state championship.

?It?s an amazing feeling,? said junior left-handed hitting catcher Josh Galvan, who drove in six runs. ?We?re going to take it back to Walther.?

After winning five of their last six games by two runs or less, including consecutive one-run shockers, the Broncos hammered out 15 hits and produced two six-run innings. Walther Lutheran set the tone in the first inning when it sent 10 hitters to the plate, tallied four hits, and was the recipient of two walks and two hit batsmen. Galvan?s two-run double and Jon Lomnicki?s two-run single were the big blows in the first.

First-year coach Matt Tuomi said the big difference in his team?s offensive approach was actually the variation of pitching, compared to the top-level arms the Broncos have beaten in the playoffs, which included Westminster Christian?s two hard-throwing aces Kevin Elder and Ryan Perez.

?For the first time in two weeks we didn?t seen a guy throwing 90 mph, one of the premier pitchers in the state,? Tuomi said.

The offensive standouts were aplenty for the Broncos. Galvan went 3-for-3, which included two doubles and six RBI. Left fielder Jon Lomnicki had two hits and three RBI, while his brother Joe Lomnicki tallied two hits, two runs and two RBI.

Then there was starting pitcher Dan LoDolce, who did it all for the Broncos. At the plate, he went 3-for-4 with two runs and drove in one. On the mound, the right-hander silenced a DuQuoin team that was averaging 10 runs a game during their 13-game winning streak. In five innings, LoDolce allowed six hits, struck out one and walked none.

DuQuoin never threatened.

?We?re not surprised at all,? said Galvan. ?We knew we knew we could do this.?