Box Score NORMAL, Ill. – No. 1 seed Parkland baseball won its second elimination game of the day, defeating No. 2 Lewis & Clark, 6-3, on Saturday night at the Corn Crib. Right fielder Jeremiah Lebron drove in two runs and saved three runs on defense with a game-changing catch. Starting pitcher Jordan Walden improved to 2-0 on the season, tossing a season-high 6.2 innings while allowing three runs on four hits with two strikeouts.
 
With the second straight elimination victory, Parkland will play No. 6 seed Danville Area in a third elimination game on Sunday at 1 p.m. central time. The winner will move on to face No. 4 seed Lincoln Land in game one of the championship round at approximately 4 p.m. Should the Cobras win both games on Sunday, the Cobras and Loggers would return on Monday for a winner-take-all game at a time to be decided.
 
Arguably the game-changing play in the victory came in the bottom of the fifth with the Cobras nursing a one-run lead. With two outs and the bases loaded, Lewis & Clark clean-up hitter, Nick Wilke, drove a two-strike pitch deep into the gap in right-center field. With three runs certain to score, Cobra right fielder Jeremiah Lebron made a diving catch to end the inning.
 

#SCTop10 Nominee: Jeremiah Lebron with a diving catch in right to save 3️⃣ runs and strand the bases loaded! pic.twitter.com/uQ2MEYklQG

— Parkland Athletics (@ParklandCobras) May 19, 2019

 
Despite only recording five hits to score the six runs, the Cobras made their hits count while also drawing six walks and a pair of hit-by-pitches. Lebron and third baseman Alex Steinbach both drove in two runs, while the power duo and designated hitter Tyler Grigalis all recorded extra base hits in the victory. The double for Grigals gave him three hits between the two games on Saturday, doubling his season total in just 14 regular season at-bats.  
 
On the mound, Walden tossed a season-high 6.2 innings to pick up his second win of the season. The right-hander just four hits while striking out two. The Cobras' pitching staff has now had three of its four starters this weekend go at least six innings after Keegan McHood and Ty Rybarczyk threw complete games on Thursday and Friday.
 
Reliever Christian Watson pitched the final 2.1 innings, taking over for Walden with two outs in the seventh. After stranding two runners in the seventh, Watson struck out three Trailblazers over the final two innings.
 
Parkland jumped out to an early lead on Saturday night, scoring their first two batters of the game and adding a another run in the third for a 3-0 lead. Trevor Burkhart and Tynan Shahidi worked walks to begin the game, and then scored on an error and a sacrifice fly by Alex Steinbach. With two outs in the third, Lebron doubled over the head of the left fielder and came around to score on a Steinbach's second triple of the day.
 
Tied 3-3 after Lewis & Clark scored three times in the bottom of the third with two outs, the Cobras took advantage of Trailblazer a miscue to retake the lead in the fifth. Reaching on a hit-by-pitch, Robert Barnard reached third on an errant pick-off attempt and then scored on a Lebron RBI fielder's choice.
 
After Lebron's game-saving play in the bottom of the fifth, the Cobras added runs in the sixth and eighth innings. Grigalis doubled home the fifth run, and then Trevor Minder scored on a wild pitch in the eighth.
 
Region 24 Tournament Schedule
 
Thursday, May 16^th
Game 1: 10:00 AM No. 1 Parkland 7, No. 8 Spoon River 4
Game 2: 1:00 PM No. 4 Lincoln Land 10, No. 5 Illinois Central 8
Game 3: 4:00 PM No. 2 Lewis & Clark 10, No. 7 Vincennes University 3
Game 4: 7:00 PM No. 6 Danville Area 11, No. 3 Heartland 8
 
Friday, May 17^th
Game 5: 10:00 AM No. 5 Illinois Central 9, No. 8 Spoon River 2
Game 6: 1:00 PM No. 3 Heartland 5, No. 8 Spoon River 2
Game 7: 4:00 PM No. 4 Lincoln Land 2, No. 1 Parkland 0 
Game 8: 7:00 PM No. 6 Danville Area 8, No. 2 Lewis & Clark 5
 
Saturday, May 18^th
Game 9: 10:00 AM No. 1 Parkland 6, No. 3 Heartland 3 
Game 10: 1:00 PM No. 2 Lewis & Clark 13, No. 5 Illinois Central 4
Game 11: 4:00 PM No. 4 Lincoln Land 10, No. 6 Danville Area 3 
Game 12: 7:00 PM No. 1 Parkland 6, No. 2 Lewis & Clark 3
 
Sunday, May 19^th
Game 13: 1:00 PM No. 1 Parkland vs. No. 6 Danville Area  Live Stats | Live Video 
Game 14: 4:00 PM No. 4 Lincoln Land vs. Game 13 Winner Live Stats | Live Video 
 
Monday, May 20^th
Game 15: TBD If Necessary Live Stats | Live Video