East Peoria, Ill.---
Coltin Quagliano and
Jake Burge had big days at the plate for the ICC baseball team as the Cougars split with Lewis and Clark, losing 8-6 but prevailing 14-6 in M-WAC action on Saturday afternoon at Thome Field. Quagliano went 4-4 in Game 1 with a homer and three RBI while Burge had a home run and double for four RBI in the second game to lead the Blue and Gold. The Cougars pounded out 26 hits on the afternoon including four home runs, a triple, and five doubles to split the double-header and the weekend series with the Trailblazers.
Game 1 Recap.
The game was scoreless until
Travis Lutz hit a two run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Lewis and Clark answered with six runs in the top of the fifth, but ICC chipped away scoring two runs in the bottom of the fifth on a Quagliano home run to draw back to within 6-4.
ICC added another run in the bottom of the sixth as Quagliano had an RBI single to make it 6-5 but the Trailblazers added two insurance runs in the top of the seventh to go back up 8-5.
Tyler Wessels doubled in the bottom of the seventh and scored on an LCC error from a
Brody Reed grounder but the Trailblazers dug in to limit the Cougars to just that one run to take the game 8-6.
Bryce Brecklin took the loss going four and a third innings, allowing seven hits and five runs while striking out five and walking one.
Leaders:
Quagliano 4-4, home run, three singles, 3 RBI
Lutz 2-3, homer, 2 RBI
Reed 3-4, triple, RBI
Josh Heyder 2-4, double
Max Jones 2-4
Game 2 Recap
Ben Nofsinger hit a solo homer in the first inning and ICC added another run in the bottom of the second on a Cam Porter RBI single but ICC still trailed 4-2.
Lewis and Clark went up 5-2 in the third when the Cougars exploded for a seven runs and pulled away for good.
Evan Pogioli doubled on a 0-2 count scoring one run, Burge doubled on a 2-2 count, scoring two runs, Cam Porter singled on the first pitch of his at bat scoring two runs, and an error scored two runs to put ICC up 9-5.
Burge tagged a two run shot in the bottom of the sixth to add more scoring and ICC tallied two more in the seventh.
Cam Glick earned the win, lasting two innings, allowing three hits and one run while striking out one and walking one.
Brayden Elkin threw two innings in relief out of the bullpen. ICC box scores appear below for both games.
Leaders
Jones 1-3, 2 RBI, double
Nofsinger 2-3, HR, double
Burge 2-4, 4 RBI, double
Reed 2-2
Jackson Powell 2-4
Porter 2-3, 3 RBI
Pogioli 1-5, double
Next up: The Cougars (7-16 overall, 4-12 in M-WAC) are slated to play next at Vincennes on Saturday, April 23 in a 1pm double-header at Jerry Blemker Field.
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
