RANTOUL, Ill. – The No. 20 ranked Parkland College Baseball team opened M-WAC Conference play with two high-scoring wins over Spoon River College in Rantoul on Monday, March 20th. The Cobras (14-3) put together a 10-run second inning to rally past the Snappers (7-9) in their 14-3 victory in game one, and pitchers Alex Pipes (3-0) and Hunter Pudlo combined to throw a one-hit shutout as Parkland won 15-0 in game two. Sophomore Tresdon Rybarczyk (2-0) earned the win in game one, striking out eight batters in five innings, and third basemen Austin Gomm launched three total home runs on Monday, including two in one inning in game one.
No. 20 Parkland College 14, Spoon River College 3 (5 innings)
Parkland trailed Spoon River 2-0 in the top of the 2nd inning, but the Cobra offense sprang to life in the bottom half. Sophomore Austin Gomm launched a 2-run home run to tie the game, and the Cobras took the lead when Jaden Lamothe (1-1, RBI, R, BB) grounded an RBI single to left field, scoring Chase Becker (R, 2 BB). Two at-bats later, designated hitter Charlie Marisca scored on a passed ball, and Jake Vitale (1-2, RBI, 2 R, BB) drove in Lamothe to make the score 5-2, and Parkland extraordinarily capped a 10-run inning when Austin Gomm hit his second 2-run home run of the inning, giving the Cobras an 8-run lead.
First basemen Logan Reidelberger (2-3, 3 RBI, R, 2B) doubled in the bottom of the 3rd, driving in two more runs before Gomm (3-3, 6 RBI, 2 HR) hit a 2-RBI single to add to his total, and the Cobras opened conference play with a 14-3 win. Tresdon Rybarczyk (5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 8 K) faced 22 batters over five innings in his second win of the season.
No. 20 Parkland College 15, Spoon River College 0 (5 innings)
The Cobras got off to a fast start in game two, leading 2-0 following back-to-back RBI singles from Ryan Snell (2-3, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB, SB) and Tyler Herron (1-2, RBI, R, SB) in the bottom of the 1st inning before Austin Gomm (2-3, 2 RBI, HR) smashed his third home run of the day, giving Parkland a 4-0 lead after one. First basemen Logan Reidelberger (1-2, 3 RBI, R) extended the lead in the 2nd with a 2-RBI single, and the team led 8-0 heading into the 3rd. Redshirt sophomore Nathan Waldridge hit a pinch-hit 3-run home run over the left field fence in the 3rd inning to make it 12-0 Parkland, and second basemen Nate Bingman (2-3, 3 RBI, HR, 3 R, 3B) joined the home run party in the 4th, lifting a 3-run homer to round out the scoring on Monday.
Starting pitcher Alex Pipes (4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 8 K) allowed one walk and one single in the top of the 1st, but the sophomore shut down the Snappers the rest of the way, facing just 13 batters in four innings. Freshman Hunter Pudlo (1.0 IP, 3 K) relieved Pipes in the 5th, striking out three in his first appearance this season, and Parkland won 15-0 in game two. Shortstop Jackson Blemler (2-3, 3 R, BB, 2 SB) scored three times in the win, bringing his season total to 19 in 17 games.
Up next, the Cobras play another doubleheader against Spoon River at the Rantoul Sports Complex tomorrow, March 21st. First pitch against the Snappers is scheduled for noon on Tuesday.
