NORMAL, Ill. – The No. 14 ranked Parkland College Baseball team saw its 10-game winning streak come to an end on Monday, March 27th, as the Cobras (18-5) (4-2) lost two games at No. 2 Heartland Community College. The team fell behind big in the first inning of a 15-3 loss in game one, and a late Parkland rally in the 3-2 loss in game two fell short when the tying run was tagged out while advancing to home in the top of the 7th. Freshmen Chase Becker hit his third home run in game two, and sophomore Jaden Lamothe launched two home runs in the game one loss.
Up next, the Cobras will host a doubleheader against No. 2 Heartland Community College tomorrow, March 27th, at the Rantoul Sports Complex. First pitch against the Hawks (21-1) is scheduled for noon on Tuesday.
No. 2 Heartland Community College 15, No. 14 Parkland College 3
The Cobras trailed 9-0 after a rough 1st inning, and the Hawks led 10-0 before Parkland second baseman Jaden Lamothe lofted his first home run of the day over the right field fence in the top of the 3rd to cut the deficit. Heartland scored twice in the bottom half, and the Hawks led by as many as 14 runs in the bottom of the 4th, but Lamothe (2-2, 3 RBI, 2 HR) lined a 2-run homer out to left field in the top of the 5th, scoring Jake Vitale (1-2, R) to make the final score 15-3 in game one.
Starting pitcher Carter Monke (4-1) lasted just one inning in his first loss this season, as William O’Gorman (3.0 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 3 K) relieved him in the 2nd inning and finished the game.
No. 2 Heartland Community College 3, No. 14 Parkland College 2
Parkland again trailed early in game two, falling behind 1-0 in the bottom of the 2nd inning, and the Cobras trailed by two in the top of the 4th until first basemen Chase Becker (1-3, 2 RBI, HR) crushed a 2-run home run out to center field, tying the game. The visitors threatened to take the lead in the top of 5th after Ryan Snell (1-4, 3B) lined a two-out triple into right field, but the team couldn’t bring him home. The Hawks regained a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the 5th and, despite putting the tying run on base in the 6th and 7th innings, the Cobras couldn’t overcome the deficit in the end. Parkland sophomore Jackson Blemler (2-4, 2B) doubled to open the 7th, and he advanced to third base on a ground out in the next at-bat, but the shortstop got cut off on his way home for the second out of the inning, and the Cobras lost 3-2.
Sophomore Tresdon Rybarczyk (2-1) allowed seven hits and two earned runs over 5 and 2/3 innings before Jacob Young relieved him for Parkland’s final out.
