Baseball Homers Four Times in Split with Edgewood

CHICAGO—The Illinois Tech baseball team played twice on Tuesday in a make-up doubleheader against Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) foe Edgewood College. Offense was plentiful for Tech (6-9, 2-2 NACC) as the Scarlet Hawks split the day against the Eagles (3-12, 1-3 NACC).

Game One: Runs-Hits-Errors

  • Edgewood: 12 runs, 9 hits, 1 error
  • Tech: 5 runs, 11 hits, 3 errors

Game One: How It Happened

  • The offense started in the second inning for the Scarlet Hawks, as third baseman Claudio LoBracio doubled to right center. On the same play, an overthrow by the shortstop wound up out of play, allowing both LoBracio and David Navarro to score.
  • After Tech starter Ian Duke was dominant through the first three innings with four strikeouts, the Eagles were able to figure out the sophomore in the middle innings. After a two-run fourth inning, a bases-cl;earing double by Edgewood put the visitors ahead 5-2.
  • Nick Bledsoe would not let the Scarlet Hawks go down without a fight, however, as the sophomore hit solo homers in his next two at-bats, brining Tech to within one at 5-4 in the seventh.
  • In the eighth, the Scarlet Hawks put runners on base thanks to a Jacob Sorenson walk, an Orlando Cardenas-Juan single, and Zachary Dickey‘s third intentional walk of the game. With the bases loaded, an Edgewood wild pitch scored Sorenson to tie the ballgame.
  • Edgewood, however, saved its best for last, scoring seven runs in the top of the ninth to seal the deal.

Game One: Scarlet Hawk Standouts

  • Bledsoe not only his two home runs, but he was also 3-for-4 in the game with his two RBI and two runs scored.
  • While Dickey was 1-for-2, he was intentionally walked three different times.
  • Cardenas-Juan (2-for-4), Navarro (2-for-5, double, run), and Sorenson (2-for-4, run, walk) all had multi-hit games.

Game Two: Runs-Hits-Errors (8 innings)

  • Edgewood: 10 runs, 13 hits, 5 errors
  • Tech 13 runs, 17 hits, 3 errors

Game Two: How It Happened

  • The Scarlet Hawks picked up right where it left off offensively, scoring five times in the first innings. After Cardenas-Juan scored on an error earlier in the inning, LoBracio hit a three-run homer to right field to make it a 4-0 contest. Later on in the frame, first baseman Ted Howell knocked in Sorenson for Tech’s fifth run.
  • After Edgewood scored on a double steal in the top of the second, the Scarlet Hawks matched the Eagles with another run via an error in the bottom of the inning. Tech added one more in the third on a Dickey single to bring the score to 7-1.
  • The fifth and sixth innings belonged to the Eagles. Edgewood would counter with a five-run fourth inning and a one-run sixth to tie the ballgame at seven.
  • As Coach Zeifert turned to his bullpen, Alex Riehman and tossed scoreless sixth and seventh innings to keep the Eagles at bay.
  • In the bottom of the seventh, the Scarlet Hawks would take the lead without needing a hit. Using an error and two walks to load the bases, freshman Darius Joneshad a clutch plate appearance, working the count to walk and drive in the go-ahead run. After two runs trotted home via an error one batter later, Dickey followed that up by taking a high fastball over the right field fence, clearing the bases and making the lead 13-7 Scarlet Hawks.
  • Edgewood would score three in the eighth and hold Tech scorless in their half, but darkness set in and forced the umpires to rule the game final after eight innings.

Game Two: Scarlet Hawk Standouts

  • Cardenas-Juan was instrumental at the top of the order, going 4-for-6 with three runs scored and three stolen bases.
  • Dickey went yard and drove in four runs while going 2-for-4 with a run scored.
  • Bledsoe had another three-hit game (3-for-5) while also scoring a run and drawing a walk.
  • LoBracio hit a three-run homer.

Up Next

  • Tech will play a non-conference game at Elmhurst tomorrow (Wednesday) at Butterfield Park at 6 p.m.