CANTON, Ill. – No. 15 Parkland College Baseball (23-8, 14-2 MWAC) cruised to two wins today over Spoon River College (18-18, 1-15) by the scores of 20-0 and 16-6. These were games three and four of a delayed 4-game series, of which the Cobras won all four.
Up next, the Cobras will play a 4-game, home/away, MWAC series with Illinois Central College. Games one and two will be in East Peoria, Ill., on Saturday, April 24. Games three and four will be in Champaign, Ill., on Sunday, April 25. The first pitch for each doubleheader is scheduled for 1:00 pm.
Game 3: No. 15 Parkland- 20, Spoon River- 0 (5 innings)
Parkland scored six runs in the first, on RBI-singles from
Hogan McIntosh (2-3, 5 RBI),
Brant Vanaman (2-3, HR, 3 RBI), and
Jimmy Rybarczyk (2-3, 2 RBI), and never looked back.
Five additional runs came in the third on a 3-run double by McIntosh and a 2-run homer by
Zyon Avery (1-3, HR).
After two additional runs in the fourth, the Cobras scored seven in the fifth, highlighted by Vanaman 2-run home run.
Nick Gregory (3-4) and
Austin Biehl (2-4, 3 RBI) combined for five of Parkland's fourteen hits in the game.
Kyle Brown (4-1) pitched three innings for Parkland and earned the win. He struck out four and allowed one hit.
Wil Stockman (1 H, 4 Ks) threw two innings in relief.
Game 4: No. 15 Parkland- 16, Spoon River- 6 (6 innings)
Parkland led 3-0 after one, creating runs from three walks, a hit-by-pitch, and a
Nicholas Fazzari (2-4, RBI) single. The Cobras added two in the second but gave up three to Spoon River.
In the third,
Austin Biehl (3-4, 2B, 2 RBI) hit a run-scoring double, and
Cole Evans (3-5, 2B, HR, 2 RBI) knocked one over the fence, giving Parkland an 8-3 lead. But, once again, in the bottom half, the Snappers scored three and trailed, 6-8.
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Zyon Avery (1-3, HR, RBI) home run highlighted a 6-run fourth inning, as Biehl and
Jimmy Rybarczyk (2-4, 2 RBI) added run-scoring singles. The Cobras scored one more in both the fifth and sixth innings, putting the game away.
Nick Gregory (3-4) added three hits, as Parkland outhit Spoon River, 15-5.
CJ Lewis (2.1 IP, 6 ER, 4 Ks, 5 H, 5 BB) started on the mound for Parkland, while
Ari Gordon (1-0) was credited with the win. Gordon pitched one-and-a-third innings, striking out two and walking two.
Drew Switzer (2 IP, 3 Ks, 2 BB) provided relief from the bullpen.