Hoepfner’s Clutch Double in 8th Lifts Chargers Past Spoon River
Aaron Frey
Tuesday, March 19, 2019 7:07 PM
Athletics
Galesburg, IL
The Carl Sandburg College baseball team staged a late rally, scoring three two-out runs in the eighth inning, as it defeated Spoon River 4-2 on Tuesday afternoon in the Chargers’ home opener at the Hungate Baseball/Softball Complex.
Sandburg 4, Spoon River 2
Spoon River 000 001 100 — 2 8 2
Sandburg 000 100 03x — 4 7 1
W: Jackson Porter 2 IP, 2 K, 0 BB
L: James Shaw 2.1 IP, 5 K, 6 BB
Key Moments
- Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the eighth, the Chargers (2-1) loaded the bases with two outs, all via walks. Freshman center fielder Noah Hoepfner (East Moline, Ill./United Township) came through with a two-strike double to left that scored Wynn Takacs (Tipton, Ind./Taylor) and Braedon Blackford (Peoria, Ill./Notre Dame) for a 3-2 Sandburg lead.
- Sandburg added an insurance run one batter later when Tyler Womack (Moline, Ill./Moline) singled to score Jordan Chandler (Erie, Ill./Erie) from third.
- Back-to-back two-out singles in the ninth put the tying run on base for the Snappers, but Jackson Porter (LaHarpe, Ill./Illini West), who came on to start the eighth, induced a comebacker for the final out. Porter struck out two in two scoreless frames to earn his second victory in as many appearances.
- Spoon River tied the game with a single tally in the sixth and took a 2-1 lead in the seventh when Blackford made a throwing error trying to turn an inning-ending double play.
Sandburg Standout
Hoepfner’s game-winning double was the Chargers’ only extra-base hit of the game. He finished 2 for 4 with two RBIs, drew a walk and stole a base.
Other Top Chargers
- Nolan Struhs (Avon, Ill./Abingdon-Avon) 6 IP, 4 H 1 R, 4 K, 1 BB
- Womack 2 for 4, walk, RBI
- Hunter Darst (Avon, Ill./Abingdon-Avon) 2 for 4
UP NEXT
The Chargers host Southeastern (Iowa) at 3 p.m. Wednesday in another nine-inning contest.
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