(Sugar Grove, IL.) - Waubonsee Community College scored in every inning on the way to an 11-1 victory in five innings over visiting Prairie State College in game one of their Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference (ISCC) doubleheader. Ryan Becker was the hitting hero for the Chiefs with five runs driven in while Tyler Huntsha limited the Pioneers to just three hits. Becker's pinch hit, two-out, two-strike walk off single in the bottom of the seventh completed the Chiefs' sweep of the Pioneers as Waubonsee pulled out a 3-2 victory in the nightcap to improve to 14-4 overall on the season and 3-0 in ISCC play.
In game one Becker's two run single to right field put Waubonsee in front 4-0 after one inning of play. In the bottom of the second Dolan Nicholson lined a shot down the right field line that landed directly on the foul line for a leadoff double. Two batters later he scored on Justin Sartori's single up the middle for a 5-1 Waubonsee lead. A sacrifice fly by Becker a few minutes later extended the Chiefs' advantage to 6-1. In the third Nicholson reached base on a fielder's choice and then scored two batters later when Sartori's pop fly to shallow right centerfield dropped in between four Pioneer fielders. With the wind blowing in from left field Gavin Lovesky led off the fourth inning with a booming triple into the teeth of the wind in left center field. Becker then launched another sacrifice fly to plate Lovesky to make it 8-1 Chiefs. Waubonsee added two more runs in the inning to go ahead 10-1. Becker again came to the plate in the fifth inning with a chance to end the game by the 10-run slaughter rule. With the bases loaded Becker hit a ground ball that the Pioneer's shortstop could not handle as the game-ending run crossed the plate.
Sartori finished the game 3 for 4 with two runs scored and a run batted in. Garrett Goetz went 2 for 3 with a pair of runs scored and Keagan Cordone smacked two hits as well. Huntsha struck out five and walked one to earn the victory.
IN game two the Pioneers scored twice in the top of the first courtesy of four hits, more than they had accumulated in the entire first game. As temperatures dropped and the intensity of the wind blowing in from left field increased, the Chiefs utilized 'small ball' to get on the scoreboard. Nicholson led off the bottom of the fourth with a bunt single. A sacrifice bunt and fly ball moved him over to third base with two away. However, Prairie State starting pitcher Carlos Barajas sustained an arm injury and had to leave the game. Zac Ruzich came on in relief and Lovesky then delivered a two-out, two-strike single to right field to cut the deficit to 2-1. In the bottom of the fifth Chase Hartle ben led off the inning with a walk and moved to third base on an errant pickoff attempt by Ruzich. With two outs Josh Meyers beat out a grounder to shortstop as Hartleben scored to tie the game.
A pair of defensive gems by Chiefs' first baseman Aaron Lange, and a sensational diving catch by Prairie State left fielder Brandon Durr kept the game deadlocked at two heading to the bottom of the seventh. With two outs and no one on base Hartleben was then hit by a pitch. The Chiefs' sophomore outfielder stole second moments later and scampered on to third when the ball skipped into center field. Becker then bounced a grounder through the right side of the infield for the game-winning hit. After surrendering four hits in the first inning alone, Logan Love scattered five hits over the final six innings. The sophomore right hander struck out six and walked no one in the complete game victory.
