CHICAGO, Ill. – The Illinois Tech baseball team played for the first time at Ed Glancy Field for the 2018 regular season on Saturday.  The Scarlet Hawks matched up against the Raiders of MSOE for a doubleheader, taking the first game 2-0 but dropping the second game 5-1.

Runs-Hits-Errors (Game 1)

• MSOE: 0 runs, 5 hits, 3 errors
• Tech: 2 runs, 8 hits, 5 errors

How It Happened (Game 1)

• No offense occurred until the third inning, when Tech scored on back-to-back doubles by left fielder Jacob Sorenson and designated hitter Zachary Dickey. 
• Sorenson was able to score an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh, when MSOE right fielder Jimmy Carrington misplayed a fly ball hit by Hawks' center fielder Michael Courtney.  This gave Tech a 2-0 lead
• Tech Starter James Tarala was dominant, pitching eight shutout innings.  He scattered five hits from the Raiders and threw over 100 pitches
• MSOE got a baserunner to second in the top of the ninth, but closer Neal Shah came in and shut down any rally.  He pitched a scoreless final inning—striking out two—to seal the victory for the Scarlet Hawks in game one

Runs-Hits-Errors (Game 2)

• MSOE: 5 runs, 11 hits, 2 errors
• Tech: 1 run, 4 hits, 1 error

How It Happened (Game 2)

• Tech starter Ian Duke began the game well, throwing three scoreless innings to begin game two. But the top of the fourth proved to be difficult, as the Raiders scored three runs (one unearned) after center fielder Ryan Newman singled home first baseman Gar Willems and Carrington drove in left fielder Joe Gilpin and catcher Max Kemp.
• MSOE struck again the top of the fifth, when Kemp singled shortstop Nick Stricker home. The Raiders held a 4-0 lead after five innings.
• Duke was replaced in the sixth inning with pitcher Jacob Geiger for the Scarlet Hawks. Geiger surrendered one run after Carrington scored on a base hit by Willems.  After that, he settled in for the rest of the remaining four innings and gave up no more runs paired with a couple strikeouts
• Tech got on the board with a run in the bottom of the sixth to make the score 5-1. Designated hitter Zachary Dickey doubled to right center field, driving in Courtney.
• The Raiders' pitching combination of Michael Boehmer and Mason LeBreck was strong.  The two had eight total strikeouts, gave up only four hits, five walks and one earned run.

Scarlet Hawk Standouts

• Tarala pitched eight innings, yielding no runs, five hits and only one walk for the win in game one
• Sorenson amassed two hits and scored two runs. He added two steals and a walk as well.
• Dickey totaled five hits between the two games, driving in two runs on two doubles, drawing a walk and stealing a base
• Courtney had two hits and scored a run to with two steals on the afternoon

Stats To Know

• Tarala is now 3-0 on the season with a 1.50 ERA in 24 innings pitched with 24 strikeouts
• The Scarlet Hawks now have a record of 6-4

Up Next

• The Scarlet Hawks will return to action quickly, as the team will travel to Wisconsin Lutheran tomorrow afternoon (Sunday, March 25) for another doubleheader. The games are scheduled for noon and 3:00 p.m.