Baseball Splits Against Wisconsin-La Crosse on Sunday

CHICAGO, Ill. – The Illinois Tech baseball team split a home doubleheader against Wisconsin-La Crosse—the second in as many days—on Sunday afternoon.  The Scarlet Hawks took the first game 4-2 and dropped the second game 7-0.

Runs-Hits-Errors (Game 1)

• Wisconsin-La Crosse: 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors
• Tech: 4 runs, 6 hits, 0 errors

How it Happened (Game 1)

• The Scarlet Hawks struck quickly in the bottom of the first after starting pitcher John Zalewski set down the Eagles in the top of the frame.  Catcher Zachary Dickey smashed a long two-run homer to give Tech the advantage right away, driving in left fielder Jacob Sorenson.
• Tech came right back in the bottom of the second with two more runs.  Second baseman Nick Bledsoe scored on an RBI-single by shortstop Orlando Cardenas-Juan.  Cardenas-Juan scored as well when center fielder Michael Courtney followed up with an RBI-hit down the left field line. Tech led 4-0 after two innings.
• The Eagles of Wisconsin-La Crosse cut into the Tech lead in the top of the fourth inning.  Zalewski walked catcher Nick Roethle after loading the bases, forcing in a run.  Then leadoff hitter and shortstop Nick Heili singled up the middle to plate another run for the Eagles.  Tech's lead was cut in half to 4-2.
• Tech pitcher Jacob Geiger came in to pitch for Zalewski from the seventh inning on, shutting down the Eagles.  Wisconsin-La Crosse only managed one hit and one walk off Geiger through three innings of great relief.  He earned the long save for Tech and gave the Scarlet Hawks a 4-2 victory.

Runs-Hits-Errors (Game 2)

• Wisconsin-La Crosse: 7 runs, 9 hits, 0 errors
• Tech: 0 runs, 3 hits, 3 errors

How it Happened (Game 2)

• Starter Ian Duke worked out of a jam in the first inning with the bases loaded.  He settled in after that and worked seven innings for the Scarlet Hawks, giving up just two earned runs.
• Unfortunately, after an error allowed the Eagles' center fielder Zach Carney to reach and advance in the top of the fifth, third baseman Brendan Schmitt singled to drive in a run and a throwing error by the Scarlet Hawks allowed another run to score.  Schmitt scored on an RBI-single by the designated hitter Brady Stolzman. Wisconsin-La Crosse led 3-0 after the inning.
• Schmitt once again drove in Carney in the seventh to put the Eagles up four runs
• Wisconsin- La Crosse added more insurance runs in the top of the ninth of Tech pitcher Neal Shah.  Carney once again contributed with a two-run double down the left field line, driving in Heili and Roethle.  Left fielder Luke Schmitt then drove in Carney to give the Eagles a big lead and eventually the win, 7-0.

Scarlet Hawk Standouts

• Dickey finished the day with two hits, two RBIs and a run scored
• Courtney and Cardenas-Juan both added RBIs
• Geiger earned his first-ever save after three innings of strong relief

Stats to Know

• The Scarlet Hawks left seven men on base while the Eagles left 15
• Tech now holds a 9-10 record (1-4 in conference)

Up Next

• Tech will take on Chicago in a neutral-site game on Tuesday night at Chicago State.  Live stats, video and audio will be available.  The live video and audio will be provided by the Illinois Media School.