EAST PEORIA, Ill. – The No. 16 ranked Parkland College Baseball team extended its current win streak to nine games with a doubleheader sweep at Illinois Central College on Friday, April 21st, as the Cobras took down the Cougars 8-6 and 5-1. The Cobras (32-8) (13-5) held off a charging ICC (13-23) (7-11) late in game one, and sophomore Carter Monke (7-1) pitched six innings of one-run ball to get the win in game two.
Up next, the Cobras host Illinois Central College on Sunday, April 23rd, for a conference doubleheader on Military Appreciation Day. First pitch against the Cougars will be at noon on Sunday.
“Today was a great day on the road,” second-year Parkland College head coach Anthony Silkwood said after the 2-0 day. “We are excited to finish the series Sunday on Military Appreciation Day. There will be a lot of awesome things going on that day, and every branch of service will be represented.”
No. 16 Parkland College 8, Illinois Central College 6
The Cobras took a 2-0 lead on their first hit in the top of the 3rd inning when Logan Reidelberger (2-4, 2B, 2 RBI, R, BB) popped a 2-RBI double into center field, scoring Jackson Blemler (1-4, 2B, RBI, R, BB, SB) and Austin Gomm, and Parkland led 3-1 following a Nate Bingman home run in the 4th. The Cobras led by as many as four in the top of the 6th, but a 7th-inning rally from the Cougars tied the game at six. Parkland responded quickly, as Bingman (2-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R) drove in Josh Outlaw in the top of the 8th, and Ty Hollandsworth (1-3, 2B, RBI, BB, SB) knocked Bingman in for insurance, as the visitors outlasted ICC for an 8-6 win in game one.
Starting pitcher Tresdon Tybarczyk (5.2 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 10 K) faced 28 batters in his ninth start of the season. Alejandro Maltos-Garcia (1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 3 BB) relieved the sophomore in the 6th, and sophomore Brenden Katz (2-0) earned the win in relief. The Fairleigh-Dickinson transfer got out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the 7th, striking out four batters in 2 and 1/3 innings of work while allowing just one hit.
No. 16 Parkland College 5, Illinois Central College 1
Parkland took advantage of a 2nd inning error, as Charlie Marisca (2-4, R) stole home to give the Cobras a 1-0 lead, and Ty Hollandsworth (1-3, HR) lifted his second home run of the season in the top of the 4th to double the lead. Sophomore Logan Reidelberger (3-4, RBI) drove in Chase Becker with an RBI single in the 5th, and back-to-back home runs from sophomores Jackson Blemler (1-4, HR) and Austin Gomm (2-4, HR) gave Parkland a 5-0 lead in the 6th inning. Illinois Central got one run back in the bottom of the 6th, but the Cobra firepower proved too much, as Parkland won 5-1.
Starting pitcher Carter Monke (6.0 IP, 8 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 10 K) allowed one earned run on eight hits and four walks on Friday evening, striking out 10 in his third straight win. Freshman Richie Snider (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 K) replaced Monke in the 7th for his sixth appearance this season.
