RANTOUL, Ill. – The No. 14 ranked Parkland College Baseball team got back in the win column on Tuesday afternoon, knocking off No. 2 Heartland Community College 9-3 in game one of another conference doubleheader before losing 17-3 in game two on March 28th in Rantoul. The Cobras (19-6) (5-3) bounced back from two losses to the Hawks (22-2) (7-1) yesterday with the long ball, as freshman Chase Becker and sophomore Jake Vitale each homered on Tuesday, while catcher Tyler Herron hit two home runs in the game one win. Pitcher Alex Pipes (4-0) picked up the win in his fourth start this season.
Up next, the Cobras travel to Indianapolis tomorrow, March 29th, for a doubleheader at Marian University JV. First pitch against the Knights is scheduled for noon eastern on Wednesday.
No. 14 Parkland College 9, No. 2 Heartland Community College 3
The Cobras struck first in game one, taking the lead in the bottom of the 2nd inning on a 2-run Tyler Herron home run, driving in Austin Gomm (2-3, 2 R, 2B, BB). Parkland extended its lead in the bottom of the 4th after Jaden Lamothe (1-2, RBI, R, 2B, BB) lined an RBI single to left field. Shortstop Jackson Blemler (1-3, RBI) brought Lamothe home on a sacrifice fly later in the inning, and outfielder Ryan Snell (1-4, RBI) gave Parkland a 5-0 lead on an RBI single up the middle to cap the 3-run inning. The Hawks got two runs back in the top of the 5th, but the Cobras took a commanding 9-2 lead in the bottom half after back-to-back home runs from Chase Becker (1-2, 2 RBI, HR, 2 R) and Herron (2-3, 3 RBI, 2 HR). Heartland cut the deficit in the top of the 6th, but it was too little too late as Parkland handed the Hawks their first conference loss in a 9-3 win.
Sophomore Alex Pipes (5.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 4 K) faced 23 batters in the win, striking out four and walking two. Freshman Brenden Katz (2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER) made his fifth appearance of the year in the 6th inning, relieving Pipes and closing out the game.
No. 2 Heartland Community College 17, No. 14 Parkland College 3
Parkland fell behind 2-0 in the top of the 1st inning in game two, but the Cobras managed to tie the game in the bottom half on a 2-RBI double from left fielder Chase Becker (1-3, 2 RBI), scoring Tyler Herron (1-3, R, 2B) and Austin Gomm (0-1, R, BB, HBP). The Hawks quickly regained their lead in the 2nd, and Heartland led 10-2 after three innings. Right fielder Jake Vitale (1-3, RBI, HR) lifted a solo home run to right field in the bottom of the 4th to cut the deficit to 11-3, but the Parkland defense couldn’t stop Heartland from scoring in every inning on Tuesday evening, and the Cobras lost 17-3 in game two.
Starting pitcher Sam Bryan (2-1) allowed eight earned runs on three hits and three walks in one and 1/3 innings on Tuesday, facing 13 batters before being relieved by Sebastian Gutierrez (2.2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 5 K) in the 2nd. Redshirt sophomore Louis Stallone (2.0 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 4 K) pitched the final two innings in the loss.
