East Peoria, IL - The Illinois Central College Baseball team (1-12) marched along with its expansive homestand by taking on the Carl Sandburg Chargers (2-0) in a mid-week non-conference contest. This one would be close throughout, with momentum swings left and right. Alas, the Chargers out-scored ICC 3-1 from the 8th-10th innings to take a 8-7 10-inning victory.
CARL SANDBURG 8, ILLINOIS CENTRAL 7 (10 inn.)
The Chargers would strike first in the second inning, with a bases-clearing three RBI triple putting the visitors up 3-0.
ICC made its first push back in the third, with a Nate Bartman hit by pitch setting up consecutive RBI hits from Thomas Krueger (double) and Ryan Brucker (single) to pull the Cougars within a run at 3-2. While Carl Sandburg would add another run in the next half inning, the ICC bats were not done yet.
In the bottom of the fourth, Jake Stewart scored on a passed ball, with Kyle Binder and Kaiden Lucero advancing into scoring position on the same pitch. David Ripke would draw a walk, setting up Bartman with the bases loaded and nobody out. A fielder's choice scored Binder and tied the game at four apiece.
Two batters later, Krueger was able to draw an error on a hard grounder to short, an error which allowed Lucero to score and give the Cougars their first lead at 5-4.
For as much action as this game had so far, the bats were effectively quiet for a while at this point. It wasn't until the seventh that the Chargers had action, drawing three consecutive walks, and a bases loaded walk with one out to tie it back up.
Akin to a back and forth boxing fight, ICC answered again, this time with Jayden Malone scoring on a steal of home plate for a 6-5 lead after seven.
Carl Sandburg, meanwhile, would also answer back to tie it at six. One way or another, there would at least be a bottom of the ninth, but the Chargers scored a run on a wild pitch in the top of the ninth to go ahead 7-6.
The Cougars fought to extend the game, with Binder reaching on an error, a Lucero single, and Blake Norton hit by pitch loading the bases with just one out. Bartman would pick up an RBI on a sacrifice fly and that would eventually send this one to extra innings.
With two outs in the top of the 10th, the Chargers roped a single out into center, but an error would follow, and an eighth run crossed the plate. ICC got a Brucker double in the bottom half, but that would be all, and Carl Sandburg would take the win.
Cougar Hitting
Connor Patton (CF) | 2 singles, 1 stolen base
Thomas Krueger (3B) | 1 single, 1 double, 1 RBI, 1 stolen base
Ryan Brucker (DH) | 1 single, 1 double, 1 RBI, 1 walk
Jayden Malone (RF) | 1 single, 1 walk, 3 stolen bases
Jake Stewart (1B) | 1 single, 1 walk, 1 stolen base
Kyle Binder (C) | 1 walk, 1 hit by pitch
Kaiden Lucero (LF) | 2 singles, 1 walk, 1 hit by pitch
David Ripke (2B) | 2 walks
Blake Norton | 1 hit by pitch
Nate Bartman (SS) | 2 RBI, 1 hit by pitch, 1 stolen base
Cougar Pitching
Cam Clifton | 4 innings, 6 hits, 4 earned runs, 2 walks, 1 strikeout
Billy Mini | 2 innings, 3 hits, 1 earned run, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts
Logan Justus | 2.2 innings, 2 hits, 2 earned runs, 5 walks, 5 strikeouts
Eli Wang (L; 0-2) | 1.1 innings, 1 hit, 0 earned runs, 1 walk, 1 strikeout
WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE COUGARS
vs. #6 Southeastern Iowa Blackhawks (12-5)
Thursday, March 13th - 4:00 PM CST
at Thome Field - East Peoria, IL
Watch Live (AWRE TV)
Live Stats (GameChanger; "25 ICC Cougars Baseball")
