By: The Blueboys and Bears were tied at 2-2 until the bottom of the seventh, when Washington University in St. Louis scored twice to get the lead and eventually the win.
Box Score ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The Illinois College baseball team hung with a Washington University in St. Louis squad that is receiving votes in the national poll, but two runs from the Bears in the bottom of the seventh proved to be the difference in a 4-2 loss on Friday afternoon.
The game had the look of a pitcher's duel between Illinois College's
D.J. Davis and Washington's Scott Nelson until the fourth inning. Up to that point, the Blueboys hadn't managed a hit and the Bears had only one. That changed quickly in the top of the inning when
Austin Dormire beat out an infield single and scored one batter later on a deep double to left-center from
Josh Krumwiede, making it 1-0 for IC.
The Bears weren't down for long. Three hits to open the bottom of the fourth inning gave them a 2-1 lead heading into the fifth.
Illinois College came back to tie the game in the top of the fifth on the strength of the bottom half of its order.
Brendan Stanfield started the rally with a lead-off double and
Connor Melton followed him with a bunt single to move Stanfield to third. With one away,
Nick Dalfonso found the hole between short and third to bring Stanfield home and knot the contest up at 2-2.
The tie remained until the bottom of the seventh when a walk and two bunt singles loaded the bases for the Bears with no outs. Davis was able to sit one WashU hitter down on a strikeout looking, but the Bears eventually scored two runs in the inning to take a two-run lead on the Blueboys. IC would bring the tying or go-ahead run to the plate in both the eighth and ninth innings, but Washington's bullpen slammed the door to get the win.
Dormire led the offense for Illinois College with a pair of hits and a walk with a run scored, while Stanfield added two hits and a run scored.
D.J. Davis suffered the loss on the hill for IC despite going seven strong innings.
Zac Schopp worked a perfect inning of relief in the eighth.
Illinois College continues a hectic week of action on Saturday afternoon, facing Division I opponent Bradley University in Peoria at 2 p.m.
