By: A first inning grand slam from the Griffins set the tone as IC suffered a defeat in its first game back after Spring Break.
Box Score ST. LOUIS – The Illinois College baseball team enjoyed some wonderful weather on its trip down to Fort Myers last week, but it didn't get the same warm welcome back in the Midwest. Fontbonne University hit a grand slam in the first inning and plated nine runs in the first three frames to post an 11-1 win on Tuesday afternoon in St. Louis. The Blueboys drop to 5-3 on the season.
Nick Dalfonso led off the game for Illinois College with a walk and a stolen base, but the senior ended up stranded on second at the end of the inning. Fontbonne drew a lead-off walk, then connected on consecutive singles to load the bases for five-hole hitter Ben Greenway who lifted a deep fly out and over the fence in right for an immediate 4-0 lead for the Griffins.
A walk to start the bottom of the second was followed by another home run for Fontbonne, this time out to the deepest part of the field in center to make it 6-0.
The Blueboys tried to get back into the game in the third inning.
Austin Dormire singled and then advanced to second base on a passed ball. The next batter was Dalfonso, who reached on an error by the second baseman to move Dormire to third. With one away,
Drew Law hit a sacrifice fly to center to bring Dormire in to score while Dalfonso took second base on the throw. With two down in the inning, Dalfonso stole third – already his eighth steal this season, leaving him two short of a Midwest Conference record – but the Griffins escaped the inning with no further damage.
Ahead 6-1, Fontbonne put the game practically out of reach in the bottom of the third, loading the bases with no outs, then scoring two more on an error before adding one more on a sacrifice fly.
Jake Horve relieved
D.J. Davis to begin the fourth inning and he was able to retire the first two hitters before Fontbonne once again loaded the bases and delivered a two-RBI single for an 11-1 advantage.
Dormire and
Matt Jagodzinski each added hits in the final two innings for the Blueboys, but to no avail as the Griffins were able to maintain their 10-run lead into the seventh.
Illinois College makes its home debut on Saturday with a 6 p.m. start at Lenz Field against Carroll University.
