The #9 Parkland Baseball team used solid pitching, and a towering first inning blast by Trystin Raikes, to defeat South Suburban 4-3 in a non-conference game Tuesday afternoon in Champaign. The win, the Cobras 7th straight, improves the team to (24-8 12-2) while the Bulldogs drop to (20-15).  The victory sets up a weekend showdown with two of the hottest teams in all of the NJCAA D-2 ranks. PC will take on rival and #2 Heartland in a four game series. The Hawks are (30-5 17-3) having won 16 straight and will host PC starting at 3 and 6 on Friday afternoon at the Corn Crib in Normal.  PC will host the final two games of the series at 1 and 3:30 on Saturday. 

After Cobra starter and winner Luke Smith worked out of a two-on nobody out jam in the top of the 1st, the PC offense would give Smith all of the runs he would need in the bottom of the frame. Brendan Joyce reached on an error, Connor Aube singled, and Trystin Raikes followed with a tremendous shot, well over the left field wall. The homer was his 7th of the season, tying him with Tyler Paulsen for the team lead.

Smith (4-1) would work a perfect three innings before Christian Sidoti would come out of the pen to pitch a scoreless 4th and 5th. Leading 4-0, Evan Snyder continued the shutout blanking the Bulldogs in his one inning of work.  South Suburban would scratch across a pair of runs in the 7th off Sam Ballard and added a third run off Tom Cheshareck in the 8th.  Holding on to a run one run lead, Garrett Acton would be called on to secure the win and he didn't disappoint. Acton struck out all three hitters he faced as he earned his 3rd save of the season.

SS   000 000 210     3  7 1
PC  301 000 00X     4  5  1
W-Smith (4-1) S-Acton (3)
HR-Raikes (PC)