by Eric Willuweit
Davenport, Fla. - Illinois Tech Baseball completed a successful weekend on their initial leg of their annual Florida trip, taking three of four games, including a 10-7 comeback win against Vassar College Sunday night.
After losing the lead late and falling to NYU 16-8 in the opening game Saturday morning in Bradenton, Fla., the Scarlet Hawks rebounded with a 6-4 victory over the Violets in game two Saturday afternoon. Austin Richardson picked up the win, pitching five innings of two-run(zero earned), three hit ball for his second win of the season. Alejandro Garcia picked up his first save. Peyton Vieluf drove in two runs with an RBI single and an RBI sacrifice fly. Ivan Tejeda was one for two with two walks and two runs scored.
The Scarlet Hawks and Violets faced off for the third and deciding game in their series Sunday morning in Bradenton, and when the dust settled Illinois Tech came out on top 17-12. Heading into the top of the seventh inning, the Scarlet Hawks were trailing 7-1. But Illinois Tech scored six runs in the inning to tie the game at 7-7. Matthew Jackson had the key hit in the inning, slugging a three-run home run, his second of the season. The Hawks would score five more runs in the top of the eigth inning, four of them coming on a grand slam home run by first-baseman Michael Paxson. NYU would respond with five runs in the bottom of the eigth to tie the game, but the Scarlet Hawks countered with another five-spot in the top of the ninth for the final margin of victory. In total, the Scarlet Hawks scored 16 runs over the final three innings. First-year Jack Niekrasz pitched an inning and a third of one-run, two-hit ball for his first collegiate win.
Illlinois Tech then made the 90-minute drive to Davenport, Fla. for their evening matchup with Vassar College, coming away victorious 10-7. The Scarlet Hawks jumped on the Brewers early, leading 6-1 heading into the bottom of the third inning. The Hawks could not hold the lead however, as Vassar scored six times in the bottom of the third inning to take a 7-6 lead. But that was all the Brewers would get this evening, as first-year pitcher Cameron Bracewell shut down Vassar the rest of the way, holding them scoreless with only one hit allowed over 6 2/3 innings for his first collegiate win. Samuel Sproule paced the offense, going three for five with three RBI and one run scored. Brandon Bennitt was three for four with two runs scored and an RBI. Vieluf was two for five with two runs scored, and Paxson was two for four with two RBI and a run scored.
Scarlet Hawks Standouts - Weekend Combined
- Sproule was 9 for 17 on the weekend, batting .529 with a .579 on-base percentage. He scored 6 runs, drove in 5, and was 4-4 in stolen bases.
- Vieluf was 9 for 19, batting .474 with 6 runs scored, 4 RBI and 2-2 in stolen bases.
- David Cooper batted .556, going 5 for 9 with 5 RBI and 3 runs scored.
- Bennitt hit .412, going 7 for 17 with 4 runs and 3 RBI.
- Richardson pitched five innings, not allowing an earned run with 6 strikeouts for his second win of the season.
- Bracewell went 6 2/3 innings in relief, allowing zero runs and only 1 hit for his first win.
Up Next
The Scarlet Hawks will be back in action on Wednesday afternoon in Davenport, Fla., when they take on Mount St. Joseph at noon CT for their final game on the Florida spring break trip. On Saturday, the Scarlet Hawks will be back on Ed Glancy Field for the first time in the 2023 season, when they host North Central College (IL) in double-header action, starting at noon CT.
"We are looking forward to Wednesday" said Zeifert.