IC Baseball Take Both Games From Knox In Road MWC Double-Header

GALESBURG, Ill. - The Illinois College men's baseball continued Midwest Conference play with a visit to Knox College for a double-header Wednesday afternoon. The Blueboys offense put up a combined 31 runs on 31 hits that included nine doubles to rout the Praire Fire by scores of 17-6 and 14-6, respectively. With both victories, IC improves to 19-11 overall and 6-8 in MWC play. 

Game 1: Illinois College 17, Knox 6

The Blueboys opened the game with a four-run inning that started on a one-out double by Adam Passmore. The next batter in Louie Bartletti got IC on the board with a rbi single that scored Passmore for the 1-0 lead. After back-to-back singles by Jon Tate and Nolan Decker that loaded the bases, Connor Hennemann was plunked by the pitch that scored Bartletti for the 2-0 lead. With two outs and the bases loaded, Logan Schweigert reached base on a error from KC's shortstop that allowed Decker and Hennemann to score on the play for the 4-0 advantage. 

Aiden Lougeay earned his third start of the season on the mound as he recording a scoreless first inning by striking out the side. In the bottom of the second, Knox added a single-run on a solo home run by Henry Scholes. 

In the top of the third inning, Tate leadoff the inning with a walk and later stole second to be in scoring position. With one out, Brayden Weaver sliced a rbi single that scored Tate that made the score 5-1. After a hit-by-pitch drawn by Schweigert, Tyler Barker drove in his first rbi of the game by scoring Hennemann for the 6-1 lead. Immediately following a Knox pitching change, Ryne Mapes ripped a two-rbi single that scored Schweigert and Weaver that increased the lead to 8-1. 

In the top of the fourth, IC added a single-run on a delayed double-steal attempt that allowed Decker to score for the 9-1 lead. In the bottom half of the fourth, Knox chipped back in the game with a five-run inning. With one out, IC made a pitching change to reliever Andrew Wieneke. Wieneke got out of the inning with a fielder's choice by Weaver. 

In the top of the fifth, Weaver led off the inning with a double and swapped places with Schweigert that started a five-run inning. After a wild pitch that advanced Schweigert, Mapes reached base on a error by the KC's center fielder that allowed Schweigert to score. The dynamic duo of Passmore and Bartletti followed suit with back-to-back two-baggers that added a pair for IC that made the score 13-6. With two outs, Decker reached on a error by KC's second basemen that allowed Bartletti to score for the 14-6 advantage.

In the top of sixth inning, IC put the game into run-rule territory with a three-run inning that started on a Weaver single. Following the single, Weaver stole back-to-back bases that moved him to third. Barker drove in his second rbi of the game that made the score 15-6. After Mapes was plunked by the pitch, Passmore ripped a triple that scored Mapes but on a errror by the KC's third basemen, Passmore scooted home for the 17-6 final score. 

For the game, IC was led in hits by Passmore and Weaver with three each while Schweigert drove in a game-high four runs. On the mound, Lougeay pitched three and a third innings and fanned five batters. Reliever Wieneke closed out the game with three and two-thirds innings of shutout baseball while allowing just two hits. 

Game 2: Illinois College 14, Knox 6

The nightcap decision got started with back-to-back singles by Passmore and Bartletti. Later in the inning, Hennemann drove in his first-of-four runs with a single that scored Passmore for the early 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the first, Knox took their first and only lead of the day with a two-run inning that made the score 1-2. 

In the top of the second, IC got runners on first and second after Weaver reached on a error and was moved up 90 feet after a single by Schweigert. With a one-run deficit at 1-2, Ryan Huskey laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt that advanced both runners in scoring position. With one out, first-year Charlie Lardi entered the game as a pinch hitter and drew a walk. Immediately following, Passmore launched a two-run double that scored Weaver and Schweigert for the 3-2 lead. The next batter in Bartletti increased the lead to 4-2 with a sacrifice fly that scored Lardi. After a walk drawn by Tate, Hennemann blasted a two-run double that scored Passmore and Tate for the 6-2 advantage. 

In the bottom of the third, Knox added a single-run in the inning on a solo blast by Evan Laws that cut the lead in half at 6-3. In the top of the fourth, IC tacked on two more runs that started on a walk drawn by Bartletti. With one out, Hennemann and Decker increased the lead to 8-3 with back-to-back rbi doubles. In the fifth inning, IC added a single run on a Huskey solo home run that made the score 9-3. The next inning, Decker ripped a rbi single that scored Tate for the 10-3 lead.

In the bottom of the sixth, IC made pitching change to first-year reliever Jake Holder as he worked out of a two-run inning by Knox that made the score 10-5. In the top of the seventh, Huskey launched his second home run of the day with a solo shot for the 11-5 lead. Following the blast by Huskey, Jonathan Odom entered the game as a pinch hitter and recorded a single. With runners in scoring position, Bartletti ripped a two-rbi single that scored Odom and Passmore for the 13-5 lead. 

In the bottom of the seventh, IC called upon senior reliever Ben Jarboe as he recorded a scoreless inning that ended in a 4-6-3 double play. In the top of the ninth, IC added their final run of the game on a sacrifice fly that scored Odom that made the score 14-5. In the bottom of the ninth, Knox added their final run of the game on a sacrifice fly. For the final out of the game, Schweigert threw out his ninth baserunner of the year with a strike to third as Weaver put the tag on. 

For the game, IC was led in hits by Passmore with four as Hennemann drove in four. On the mound, Smith delivered five full innings of work and was credited for the win. Relievers Holder and Jarboe combined for four inning of work as Jarboe recorded the only other strikeout of the game. 

The Blueboys will continue MWC play this Saturday, April 20 hosting the Rams of Cornell College for a double-header starting at noon at Joe Brooks Field for Senior Day. In addition, that day will also be BINGO AT THE JOE Day. Come out and support our seniors with the possibility of winning great prizes.