IC Baseball Captures Split Against Cornell On Senior Day

JACKSONVILLE, Ill. - The Illinois College baseball team continued Midwest Conference play by hosting Cornell College for a double-header Saturday afternoon on Senior Day. The Blueboys captured a split of the Rams by taking game one by the final of 9-4 but dropped the nightcap by the score of 5-7 in 12 innings. With the split, IC currently stands at 20-12 overall and 7-8 in MWC play. 

Prior to the first pitch of the second game, the IC baseball coaching staff recognized eight seniors part of the graduating Class of 2024; Logan Schweigert, Brayden Weaver, Aden Emery, Tory Wickman, AJ Hankins, Dylan Eaton, Ben Jarboe, and student-coach Travis Mullins.

Game 1: Illinois College 9, Cornell 4

Jack McGuire earned his ninth start of the season as he took the mound for IC in game one. Through the first four innings, the Rams added a single run on the scoreboard in each inning that created an early 0-4 deficit.  

In the bottom of the fourth, the Blueboy struck for three in the inning that started on a led off single to center by Jon Tate. Moments later, Tate advanced in scoring position after a single by Nolan Decker. After a walk drawn by Schweigert that loaded the bases, Weaver reached base on a throwing error from Cornell's second baseman that allowed Tate and Decker to score that cut the deficit in half at 2-4. With two outs and two runners on, Ryne Mapes smashed a rbi single to lef that scored Weaver that made the score 3-4. 

In the fifth, McGuire settled down and was dotting his pitches that forced a quick inning. In the bottom half, Louie Bartletti got the inning start with a lead off single to right center and advanced to second on a single by Connor Hennemann. With two runners on base and two outs, Schweigert ripped a rbi single to center that scored Bartletti and tied the game at four apiece. 

With the momentum shifting toward IC, McGuire increased the noise with a 13-pitch shutout inning. In the bottom frame, Weaver led off the inning with a double to left. Two pitches later, Weaver broke for third on a steal when the Rams catcher launched the ball in left field that allowed Weaver to score that gave IC their first lead of the game at 5-4. With two outs in the inning, Bartletti increased the lead to 6-4 with a rbi double to left that scored Adam Passmore.  

In the seventh, McGuire struck out the first batter he saw before walking the next batter that ended his day. IC called upon first-year reliever Anthony Buonaura out of the bullpen as he recorded the final two outs of the inning by way of strikeouts. In the bottom portion, added two insurance runs on rbi singles from Weaver and Mapes that increased the lead to 8-4. 

After a scoreless top eighth inning by Buonaura, the Blueboys added their final run of the game in the bottom half on a rbi single to right field from Decker that made the score 9-4. Buonaura went out to the mound and shut the door on the Rams as he recorded the final three outs of the game all by strikeouts. 

For the game, IC had six student-athletes record at least two hits as Mapes and Weaver each drove in two. On the mound, McGuire had a great outing as he pitched 6.2 innings while striking out two and was credited for the win. Reliever Buonaura eliminated the Rams with 2.2 innings and struck out six. 

Game 2: Illinois College 5, Cornell 7 (12 Innings)

First-year starting pitcher in Charlie Lardi took the mound for IC in game two as he recorded a scoreless by getting three weak groundouts. In the bottom of the first, Mapes led off the game with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Passmore. With one out, Bartletti launched a deep ball that just missed a home run by the matter of inches off the top of the center field wall that scored Mapes for the early 1-0 lead. 

In the top of the second, Lardi got in a jam after allowing a lead off single and a error that put Cornell runners in scoring position. After recording a strikeout, Cornell got on the board with a sacrifice fly that tied the game at 1-1. After allowing a walk and a hit-by-pitch, Lardi gave the Rams the 2-1 after issuing a bases-loaded walk. 

In the bottom of the second, Weaver got the inning started on a one-out single to right and advanced to second on a walk drawn by Ryan Huskey. With two outs and runners in scoring position, Passmore hit a rocket to the third baseman that allowed Mapes to score that tied the game at 2-2.   

In the top of the fourth, Lardi got in a bases loaded jam when he delivered a wild pitch that scored a Rams run that gave Cornell the 3-2 lead. With two Rams runners in scoring position, Cornell's Kale Rose increased the deficit to 5-2 with a two-run double that forced a IC pitching change to Andrew Wieneke. Wieneke got out of the inning without allowing any additional runs. 

The fifth and sixth innings was a pitcher duel between IC's Wiekene and Cornell's Agustin Velazquez as both pitchers had back-to-back scoreless frames. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Huskey led off the inning with a single to right that ended Velazquez outing as brought in Lucas Brutsche. Following the pitching change, Passmore sliced a single to left that advanced Huskey to second.

Moments later, Brutsche was called for a balk that advanced both runners up 90 feet.  With two strikes, Bartletti rolls over ground ball to the right side of the infield that allowed Huskey to score that made the score 3-5. Immediately following the rbi by Bartletti, Hennemann singled to short that scored Passmore that cut the deficit down to one at 4-5.  

In the bottom of the eighth, Decker led off the inning with a triple down the right field line. Moments later, Schweigert tied the game at five apiece with a sacrifice fly out to right that scored Decker. In the bottom of the ninth, Mapes lead off the inning with a walk and advanced to second a sacrifice bunt by Passmore. After a fielder's choice that moved Mapes to third, IC had the winning run 90 feet away but could not get that runner home as the game went to extra innings.

Wieneke went out for the 10th inning and recorded his sixth scoreless inning of work with a very quick inning. IC also went down in order in the bottom half. In the 11th inning, IC called upon senior reliever Ben Jarboe out of the bullpen as he got out of the inning with a popout Hennemann at short. In the bottom of the 11th, IC was held to just one hit by Passmore as he was stranded on base.

In the top of the 12th, Cornell took the 6-5 lead on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch issued by Jarboe that forced a pitching change to Chris Campau. Campau entered the game with the bases loaded and added a final Rams run of the game by issuing a walk. In the bottom portion and two outs, Tyler Barker entered the game as a pinch hitter and ripped a single to left center that advanced Schweigert to second. With the winning run at the plate, Huskey flied out to left that ended the game.   

For the game, IC was led in hits by Passmore with three while Bartletti drove in two runs. On the mound, Lardi pitched the first three and a third innings and struck out two. Reliever Wieneke dealt 6.2 innings of shutout baseball while fanning five batters. Relievers Jarboe and Campau pitched the final two inning as Jarboe took the loss. 

The Blueboys will be back in action tomorrow at Joe Brooks Field to conclude this weekend series against Cornell starting at Noon.