Danville, Ill. -Despite cranking sixteen hits in the opening game of the M-WAC series against Danville Area on Sunday, the ICC baseball team dropped a tough 14-13 decision to the Jaguars at Danville Stadium. Danville snagged the second game as well, downing the Cougars 3-0.
Game 1 | Danville 14, ICC 13
The Cougars had a season-high nine doubles, a triple, and a home run and were in command for the first seven innings until DACC rallied to score nine runs in the final two innings to steal the win.
Chase Ulrich got ICC off on the right foot with a 2-RBI double in the first inning. DACC combined for three runs in the bottom of the second and third innings to grab the lead at 3-2.
But the Cougars exploded for seven runs in the top of the fourth inning as they sent ten men to the plate.
Josh Heyder got things started with a double followed by a
Chase Ulrich RBI double.
Zach Otten added a single and
Coltin Quagliano hit a 2-RBI single to keep things rolling and then
Brody Reed smoked a two-run homer to left field to make it 7-3.
Ben Nofsinger and
Max Jones belted back-to-back doubles and
Tyler Wessels added a single as ICC led 9-3.
Starter
Travis Lutz went five innings, striking out eight Jaguars but exited after tossing 98 pitches. DACC then added two more runs in the 6th inning, but the Cougars responded with three runs in the top of the 7th inning highlighted by a Reed two-RBI double to give the Cougars a 12-5 advantage.
Danville tallied five runs in the bottom of the 8th to draw to within 12-10.
ICC scratched one run in the top of the 9th on a Nofsinger RBI triple, but the Jaguars scored six runs in the bottom of the 9th on a single, error, double, hit-by-pitch, and error for the win. Kaleb Goff took the loss, surrendering four runs on two hits over two-thirds of an inning.
Nofsinger went 4-5 in the game with two doubles and a triple. Reed went 2-5 with four RBI, and Ulrich went 2-5 with 3 RBI on two doubles.
Game 2 | Danville 3, ICC 0
Garrett Peterson gave the Cougars a strong outing in the second affair, fanning seven Jaguars and giving up just three hits but after the tough Game 1 loss, the Cougar bats went cold, managing only two hits.
Peterson went the distance, giving up three hits and three runs (only one earned), all in the bottom of the 6th inning.
Nofsinger went 2-3 with a double and a single to lead ICC.
Next up:
The Cougars (10-22 overall, 6-16 in the M-WAC) will look to bounce back quickly as the two teams are back in action on Monday, May 2nd for a double-header at Thome Field. First pitch is at 2pm.
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
