by Eric Willuweit

Milwaukee, Wis. - Illinois Tech Baseball had a chance to pick up a pair of conference victories Saturday at MSOE, but it was the host Raiders who earned the double header victory, downing the Scarlet Hawks in a pair of tightly contested games. MSOE won game one 6-4, and took the nightcap 8-7 in 12 innings. The Scarlet Hawks fell to 7-7 in NACC play, and 14-15 overall. The Raiders improved to 7-7 in conference play and 15-10 overall.

The Scarlet Hawks were held scoreless through six innings in the opening game. The Raiders scored a solo run in the bottom of the third inning, and tacked on a pair of runs each in the fourth and fifth innings to take a 5-1 lead into the seventh inning. That's when the Scarlet Hawks offense finally showed signs of life. Michael Paxson drove in a solo run in the seventh with an RBI on a fielders choice. Connor Blake added another run in the eighth inning with an RBI groundout, cutting the Hawks deficit to 5-2. The Raiders added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth. Lucas Waunn drove in a pair of runs for the Scarlet Hawks in their half of the ninth inning with an RBI single, pulling the Hawks within two runs at 6-4. Unfortunately that is where the comeback ended. Connor Blake took the loss for the Hawks, going 4 2/3 innings, allowing five runs(four earned) on 10 hits, striking out three while walking three. Austin Schnurr pitched 3 1/3 innings in relief, allowing one earned run and five hits. Sam Sproule went two for four in game one, with a run scored. MSOE's Tyler Gronert was the winning pitcher, going 8 1/3 innings, allowing three earned runs, only five hits while striking out 12 Scarlet Hawks. Blake Hall went two for four for the Raiders with two runs batted in and one run scored.

Game two saw the Scarlet Hawks jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning. Matthew Jackson had a two-run double down the right field line, scoring Blake and Tyler Gutsfeld. RBI groundouts by Sproule and Peyton Vieluf plated Brandon Bennitt and Jackson, respectively, giving the Hawks their 4-0 lead. The Raiders would get a run back with an RBI infield single in the bottom of the first inning. Each team would pick up a run in the fifth inning, with the Scarlet Hawks getting a sacrifice fly from Connor Blake, while the Raiders had an RBI single by Collin Truitt, cutting the score to 5-2. The Raiders took over the lead in the seventh inning, with a pair of RBI singles and capped off by an RBI double by Kyle Labedz, giving MSOE a 6-5 lead. The Scarlet Hawks responded in their half of the eighth inning with a game-tying solo home run by Jackson. Jackson returned to the plate in the top of the ninth with an RBI single, giving the Hawks a 7-6 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth. But a leadoff home run by MSOE's Hall tied the score at 7-7 and sent the game into extra innings. Truitt gave the Raiders the double-header sweep with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the 12th inning. Truit went three for five with three RBI and two runs scored. Hall was four for six with an RBI and three runs scored. Cole Ninmann picked up his second win for the Raiders, pitching 3 2/3 inning of one run(zero earned), three hit ball. Alejandro Garcia was the tough luck loser for the Scarlet Hawks, going four innings, allowing only three hits. Unfortunately two of the hits were the leadoff home runs in the ninth and twelfth innings. Austin Richardson earned a no-decision in the contest as the starter, going 6 2/3 innings, allowing four earned runs, eight hits while striking out four. Jackson went three for five for the Hawks, with four RBI and two runs scored. Blake was two for four with an RBI and two runs scored. 

Scarlet Hawks Standouts (Combined Double Header)

• Jackson was 3 for 8 with 4 RBI and two runs scored.
• Sproule went 4 for 10 with an RBI and a run scored.
• Matthew Bove was 3 for 9 with 2 runs scored.
• Waunn was 1 for 2 with 2 RBI.
• Schnurr picthed 3.1 innings of one-run ball, allowing only 5 hits.
• Garcia with 4 innings pitched, allowing two runs and three hits.

Up Next

The Scarlet Hawks return home on Sunday afternoon to face Dominican University in a conference double header, with game one starting at 12:00 PM CT at Ed Glancy Field.