Trio of Late Homers Help Chargers Force Extras Before Suffering 1st Arrowhead Defeat
Aaron Frey
Monday, April 15, 2019 8:00 PM
Athletics
Galesburg, IL
The Carl Sandburg College baseball team staged a huge late comeback to help force extra innings in Game 2, but Highland put together a two-out rally in the eighth to hand the Chargers their first Arrowhead Conference defeat Tuesday afternoon as the team split a doubleheader.
The loss drops the Chargers (16-9-1 overall, 9-1 Arrowhead) into a tie with fellow reigning co-champion Black Hawk atop the conference standings.
GAME 1
Sandburg 12, Highland 2 (6 innings)
Highland 000 200 — 2 3 1
Sandburg 123 321 — 12 16 2
W: Kale Orman 2.2 IP, 0 K, 1 BB
L: Hunter Rhineberger 3 IP, 3 K, 1 BB
Key Moment
The Chargers scored in every inning and got on the board in the first thanks to a two-out double from Cacey O’Brien (Moline, Ill./Moline) to plate Noah Hoepfner (East Moline, Ill./United Township), who singled with one out.
Sandburg Standout
Freshman Isaac Riegler went 3 for 3 with a double, two runs scored, an RBI and a stolen base out of the No. 9 spot in the order.
Other Top Chargers
- Devon Ballard (Fulton, Ill./Fulton) 2 for 3, triple, run, three RBIs, stolen base
- Braedon Blackford (Peoria, Ill./Notre Dame) 2 for 4, double, two runs
- O’Brien 2 for 3, double, walk, two runs, two RBIs
- Tyler Womack (Moline, Ill./Moline) 2 for 4, run, two RBIs
- Hunter Darst (Avon, Ill./Abingdon-Avon) 2 for 4, double, run, RBI
GAME 2
Highland 12, Sandburg 9 (8 innings)
Highland 132 300 03 — 12 13 2
Sandburg 020007 00 — 9 13 2
W: Logan Dryden 3 IP, 5 K, 1 BB
L: Jacob Burg 3 IP, 3 K, 3 BB
Key Moments
- Trailing 9-2 in the sixth, the Chargers staged a seven-run rally behind three home runs to tie the game before their first out of the inning. Wynn Takacs (Tipton, Ind./Taylor) started the comeback with a three-run blast to right. After a Koy Smith (Revere, Mo./Canton) single, Riegler homered to center to make it 9-7. Blackford followed with a walk to set the stage for Hoepfner’s two-run shot to left to tie the game.
- It stayed that way until the eighth, when the Cougars plated three two-out runs to retake the lead. Brant Howell’s RBI single to left proved to be the game-winner.
Sandburg Standout
Riegler once again delivered at the bottom of the order, going 2 for 4 with a run and four driven in. He got the Chargers on the board in the second with a two-run double.
Other Top Chargers
- Jordan Chandler (Erie, Ill./Erie) 2 for 5, stolen base
- O’Brien 2 for 5
- Ballard 2 for 4, walk, two runs
- Takacs 2 for 2, three-run home run
UP NEXT
The Chargers step out of conference play to face Joliet in a road doubleheader at noon Friday.
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