Baseball Earns Final NACC Tournament Spot with Win over Marian

May 7, 2019Posted in: Athletics

FOND DU LAC, Wis.—It took a rainout and a fog-related suspension for the Scarlet Hawks and Sabres to finish a doubleheader, but it was worth the wait for Illinois Tech baseball. Coming into the suspended game leading 4-0 over the Sabres, Tech (17-21, 10-12 NACC) finished off Marian (21-13, 12-10 NACC) to clinch the sixth and final spot in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) Tournament. The Scarlet Hawks downed the Sabres 8-7 in 10 innings.

Runs-Hits-Errors

  • Tech: 8 runs, 13 hits, 2 errors
  • Marian: 7 runs, 14 hits, 0 errors

How It Happened: Before the Suspension

  • The Scarlet Hawks plated runs in the second and third innings. Darius Jones had an RBI single in the second before Jacob Sorenson walked with the bases loaded in the third.
  • In the top of the fourth, Zachary Dickey hit a two-run single to make the score 4-0, advancing to second on the throw.
  • The fog was deemed unsafe after Dickey’s base-hit. When the game resumes, it will be a 4-0 Tech lead with Dickey on second, Bledsoe at the plate, and one out.
  • Roberto Carselle had started on the mound, firing three scoreless innings with three strikeouts.

How It Happened: Sunday’s Continuation

  • Ted Howell wasted no time once the game resume. With two outs and Dickey still aboard, the senior first baseman smashed a two-run homer to left field to give Tech a 6-0 lead.
  • Ian Duke took over on the mound for Carselle and fired two scoreless innings, needed just 17 pitches to get through eight hitters. Alex Riehman also entered to hold the Sabres scoreless in his two innings of work. After eight innings, the Scarlet Hawks led 7-0.
  • Things got crazy in the ninth, with Marian mounting a huge rally to tie the score and send the game into extras.
  • All year long, the Scarlet Hawks have shown resiliency. It was no different on this day. In the top of the tenth, Jones worked a one-out walk. After Michael Courtney moved him over to second on a groundout, Orlando Cardenas-Juan smacked a two-run double to left field to score Jones and give the Scarlet Hawks an 8-7 advantage.
  • Ryan Cantlin, who threw a complete game yesterday, entered in the tenth inning for a save. After a Marian leadoff bunt single, Cantlin enduced three ground ball outs, the last of which to third baseman Tyler Tucker, to preserve the lead and give the Scarlet Hawks a win.

Scarlet Hawk Standouts

  • Cantlin earned the save in his one inning of work. Duke and Riehman also notched scoreless appearances in relief. Dating back to Monday, Carselle threw three scoreless innings as the starter.
  • Cardenas-Juan delivered the clutch hit in this one and was 3-for-5 with a double, stolen base, sacrifice bunt, and a steal in the game.
  • Jones was awesome, going 4-for-4 with a walk, RBI, and two runs scored.
  • Courtney had two hits (including a double), and Howell hit a two-run homer.

Up Next

  • Tech knows it has clinched the sixth seed in the NACC Tournament and knows it will oppose Dominican University, the third-seed at 10 a.m. on Thursday in the first round at CUW’s Kapco Park.
  • More details on coverage will be provided in the coming days.
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