By: The Blueboys had six players with multiple hits, and as a team, stole 11 bases in the win over New Kensington.
Box Score
FORT MYERS, Fla. - Illinois College had a very strong showing from the mound, downing Penn State New Kensington, 11-7, on Tuesday morning. The Blueboys jump back above .500, sitting at 3-2. New Kensington falls to 1-2 on the year.
An early outburst from the bats highlighted the first inning for both teams. After the first three batters reached for New Kensington, Vinny Ribar scored on an error by the first baseman. Dustin Koedel scored on a sacrifice fly from Noah Oddis. The Nittany Lions' scoring was capped Ju Lindeman's single, which plated Jake Stackiewicz.
In the bottom half of the first, Illinois College's
Tim Sommerfeld singled to lead off and then stole second. That allowed
Joe Paparelli to follow with a base hit, bringing Sommerfeld in. Paparelli crossed the plate on an error by the left fielder.
Eli Fox ripped a liner into left field, bringing in
Austin Gusewelle, tying the game at 3-3 heading into the second.
New Kensington reclaimed the lead in the top of the third. Dylan Wiley singled up the middle and then stole second. This set up Stackiewicz, who doubled, bringing in Wiley. Oddis earned another RBI, singling to left, plating Stackiewicz. The Nittany Lions led 5-3 after two-and-a-half frames.
Like the first inning, Illinois College matched New Kensington. After
Grant Argyilan singled,
Daniel Reed stepped up, ripping a liner through the left side, scoring Fox from second. Argyilan reached home via a single from
Brendan Stanfield, tying the game at 5-5 after three.
The Blueboys were able to hold in the top of fourth, and then took their first lead in the bottom half of the inning. After a Sommerfeld single, Paparelli found the gap for a triple, scoring Sommerfeld. Gusewelle followed with a triple of his own, bringing in Paparelli. A wild pitch put the cherry on top of the IC fourth, scoring Gusewelle, and giving the Blueboys an 8-5 advantage.
The Nittany Lions earned one back in the sixth, with Lindeman scoring on an error by the second baseman. The run brought New Kensington within two, 8-6. However, Illinois College earned the run right back. Stanfield drove in Fox, and then D. Reed stole home as part of a double-steal, giving IC a 10-6 lead.
New Kensington scored one final time in the game, with Koedel scoring from second on a RBI single from Stackiewicz. Illinois College sent one more runner home as well, with Gusewelle crossing the plate on a D. Reed single, making the game 11-7.
Ten different Blueboys stole bases in the game, with Sommerfeld snatching two, to give IC a team total of 11 bags swiped in the game.
Dentler Loschen (1-0) picked up his first win on the season for Illinois College. Stackiewicz (0-1) took the loss for the Nittany Lions.
Illinois College hits the field tomorrow, Mar. 6, in a doubleheader against Baruch College. The first game is scheduled for 12 p.m. (EST).
