JACKSONVILLE, Ill. - The Illinois College baseball team resumed Midwest Conference by hosting the Maroons of University of Chicago for the series opener decision Friday afternoon at Joe Brooks Field. The Blueboys battled the Maroons but fell short by the final score of 4-13.
Branson Shaw earned his sixth start of the season on the mound for IC as he got out of first inning jam by striking out Jonathan Zeevi. In the second, Shaw recorded his second straight scoreless inning with three quick outs.
In the bottom half,
Connor Hennemann got the inning started with a lead off single to left and advanced to second on a
Jon Tate single to right. With no outs,
Tyler Barker drew a walk that loaded the bases for IC. With the bases loaded,
Logan Schweigert gave IC the early 1-0 lead with a rbi groundout to the shortstop that scored Hennemann. Immediately following,
Ryan Huskey extended the IC lead to 2-0 with a sacrifice fly to center that scored Tate.
In the top of the third, the Maroons erupted for a eight-run inning that included three home runs that made the score 2-8.
In the bottom of the third,
Adam Passmore lead off the inning with a single to right and advanced to second a on a sacrifice bunt by
Louie Bartletti. With a runner on second,
Nolan Decker launched a deep drive to center as the ball appeared to go over the wall when Chicago's center fielder Braden Jirovec snagged the ball above the wall that caused a 45 minute delay for a umpire review.
After review, the play was reversed and Decker was granted a rbi ground-rule double that scored Passmore on second that made the score 3-8. With runners on the corners and two away, Barker cut the deficit in half at 4-8 with a rbi single to left that scored Decker.
In the top of the fourth, the Maroons added two insurance runs with a rbi single to by Zeevi and a sacrifice flyout by Brian Cordero that made the score 4-10. In the top of the fifth and a runner on second, IC called upon reliever
Andrew Wieneke out of the bullpen as got out of the inning without allowing a run and or a hit.
In the sixth, Chicago added a single-run on the scoreboard on a sacrifice fly by Brady Miller that made the score 4-11. In the seventh inning, the Maroons scored their final two runs of the game that made the score 4-13 and promoted a IC pitching change to first-year
Anthony Buonaura. With the bases loaded, Buonaura got out of the jam with a double-play by Decker at third base.
For the final two innings, each team recorded back-to-back scoreless inning that generated the final score of 4-13.
For the game, IC was led in hits by Hennemann with three while four different Blueboys recorded one run batted in. On the mound, Shaw pitched four innings and stuck out five batters. Relievers Wieneke and Buonaura each delivered two-plus innings of work as Wieneke recorded three strikeouts.
The Blueboys will conclude this MWC series against the Maroons on Saturday, March 30 with a double-header starting at noon in Jacksonville, Illinois.
