RANTOUL, Ill. – The Parkland College Baseball team opened its 2023 season with two walk-off wins over Sauk Valley Community College on Saturday, February 18th. The Cobras came from behind in both games to sweep the doubleheader against the Skyhawks as freshman Chase Becker launched a pinch-hit, walk-off home run to lift the Cobras to the 4-3 win in game one, and sophomore Jake Vitale drove a walk-off single into right field to score Charlie Marisca and give Parkland the 5-4 win in game two. Sophomore Alex Pipes and freshman Sebastian Guitierrez each picked up their first wins of the season.
Second-year head coach Anthony Silkwood enjoyed his team’s opening day, saying, “The first games of the year are always a blast. It’s even more fun to watch the games end the way they did today. Winning close games early in the season is good to see, as finding a way to win the goal.”
Up next, the Cobras will travel to Belleville, Illinois to partake in the Blue Storm JUCO Invite next weekend. Parkland will take on Lansing Community College and Southwestern Illinois College on Friday, February 24th.
Game 1: Parkland College 4, Sauk Valley Community College 3
The Cobras trailed 3-0 after a two-out rally from Sauk Valley in the top of the first inning, and the offense could not get anything going early. The score remained 3-0 until Parkland freshman Ryan Snell (1-1, 2 RBI, R, 3B) hit a two-run triple in the bottom of the seventh and Chase Becker (1-1, 2 RBI, HR) finished the rally with a pinch-hit, two-run walk-off home run to give the Cobras the 4-3 win in a thrilling season opener.
Tresdon Rybarczyk (3.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 4 K) got the start, but Alex Pipes (4.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 8 K) picked up the win in Rantoul. Cather Tyler Herron (2-3) doubled and Jackson Blemler (1-2, R, 2 BB) got on base three times in the win.
Game 4: Parkland College 5, Sauk Valley Community College 4
Parkland fell behind early again, trailing 1-0 after the first, and the Skyhawks drove in three more in the top of the third to take a 4-0 lead. The Cobras answered in the bottom of the third, scoring three to cut the deficit to 4-3, and Parkland tied the game at four in the bottom of the fifth. The game remained tied until Jake Vitale (3-4, RBI, R) ripped a line drive down the right field line and Charlie Marisca (2-4, RBI, R) beat the throw to give the Cobras the 5-4 walk-off win in game two.
Two freshmen took the mound for the Cobras on Saturday afternoon, as Sam Bryan (3.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 7 K) made his first career start and Sebastian Guitierrez (4.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 10 K) got his first career win, striking out ten in relief.
