By: The four-game series that was originally supposed to end two weeks ago finally wrapped up on Monday as Cornell came from behind in each game to win two and split the series with the Blueboys.
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Box Score 2
MOUNT VERNON, Iowa – The Illinois College baseball team had its recent struggles continue on Monday. The Blueboys lost twice to Cornell College by scores of 7-4 and 11-1, running their losing streak to seven games and falling to 13-16 (4-10 Midwest Conference) on the season.
Illinois College returns to Joe Brooks Field on May 2 for its final non-conference game of the season, taking on Blackburn College at 3 p.m.
Game One: Cornell 7, Illinois College 4
A quick start in the top of the first inning staked Illinois College to a 3-0 lead, and the Blueboys were still ahead, 4-1, as late as the sixth inning. Things went downhill with two outs in the bottom of the seventh however, when an IC error opened the floodgates and allowed five Cornell runs to score.
Dylan Jones was tagged with the loss to fall to 5-3 despite only allowing two earned runs.
Cameron Anfang had control issues early in the contest and Illinois College loaded the bases with a walk and two hit batters to start the game off. The Blueboys scored three runs on RBI singles from
Brendan Stanfield and
Grant Argyilan to make it 3-0 for Jones as he headed to the hill.
The Blueboys maintained their 3-0 lead until the bottom of the third when Zach Stone doubled in a Cornell run to make it 3-1. IC pushed the lead back to three runs right away, scoring a run in the top of the fourth.
Bailey Reed led off the inning with a single, moved to second on a sac bunt from
Mason Durdel and to third on a single from
Tim Sommerfeld. The freshman then came home on a
Colin Edwards sacrifice fly.
An infield single brought a Cornell run home in the bottom of the sixth, but Jones escaped any further damage and still held a 4-2 lead to start the seventh. After getting the first two hitters of the inning in order, the Blueboys suddenly tripped up. A hit batter and a single kept the inning alive for Caleb Wichman. His ground ball could have ended the inning, but
Brandon Skovronski made a throwing error to load the bases and a walk followed to force in a run. With the bases still loaded, Lucas Larson connected on a grand slam to left to push the Rams out in front, 7-4.
Illinois College loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the eighth but couldn't plate any runs. Stanfield kept the Blueboys alive with a two-out double in the ninth, but nothing came of it and Cornell held on for the win.
Game Two: Cornell 11, Illinois College 1 (7 innings)
A Stanfield triple in the top of the first put Illinois College ahead early on, but Cornell answered back in the bottom half of the inning and then unloaded on IC pitching the rest of the way to earn an 11-1 win in seven innings.
Andy Cruthis (0-1) took the loss in his first career start for the Blueboys.
Joe Paparelli reached on an error by the Cornell shortstop to lead off the game. Two batters later, the sophomore raced in to score on a Stanfield triple to center field. The Blueboys couldn't cash Stanfield in, leaving the junior stranded 90 feet away. A single, walk, and single by the Rams in the bottom of the first put the game back on level terms before an inning-ending double play limited the damage.
Stone began the bottom of the third inning with a solo shot down the line in left field to put Cornell ahead, 2-1. Three batters later, Larson unleashed a two-run bomb to left to make it 4-1. With two outs, the Rams tacked on two more runs on back-to-back RBI singles for a 6-1 lead.
Illinois College left the bases loaded in the top of the fourth and again in the top of the seventh without scoring a run. Meanwhile, Cornell added a run in the fourth, three in the fifth, and finally one more in the seventh to bring the game to a close.
Stanfield ended as the only IC hitter with multiple hits in the contest, going 2-for-4.
Quinn Miller was the most effective pitcher for the Blueboys in the game, throwing a perfect sixth inning.
