ALTON, Ill. – The No. 10 ranked Parkland College Baseball team finished the regular season with a doubleheader sweep over Lewis & Clark Community College on Friday, May 11th, defeating the Trailblazers 2-1 and 18-13 in extra innings on the road. The Cobras (44-12) (23-9) powered past the Trailblazers (31-25) (15-17) on Friday with seven extra-base hits, including a single-season record 18th home run from sophomore infielder Austin Gomm. Parkland wraps up the regular season on a three-game winning streak.

Up next, Parkland begins postseason play on Wednesday, May 19th, in the Central A District Championship at the Corn Crib in Normal, Illinois. The No. 2 Seed Cobras will kick off the tournament against the No. 7 seed Vincennes University (25-31), with the first pitch scheduled for 4:00 PM on Wednesday.

No. 10 Parkland College 2, Lewis & Clark Community College 1

The Cobras took the lead of game one in the top of the 3rd inning on a solo home run from centerfielder Ty Hollandsworth (1-3, HR), and second baseman Austin Gomm (1-3, HR) added to it with a solo shot of his own in the 6th, his 18th of the year. Lewis & Clark got a run back on an error in the bottom of the 6th, but the Parkland pitching staff blanked the Trailblazers the rest of the way, and the Cobras won 2-1.

Starting pitcher Chase Becker (4-0) allowed just two hits and four walks in three and 1/3 shutout innings on Friday afternoon before reliever Sebastian Gutierrez (2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K) replaced him in the 4th inning. Redshirt sophomore Nathan Waldridge (1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K) earned his first save of the season in the win.

No. 10 Parkland 18, Lewis & Clark CC 13 (10 innings)

The Cobra bats got off to a hot start in game two, as the visitors took a 9-0 lead in the top of the 1st inning, capped by back-to-back-to-back RBI hits from sophomores Jackson Blemler (2-4, RBI, 4 R, 2 BB), Austin Gomm (2-5, 2B, 3 RBI, 3 R, BB), and Logan Reidelberger (2-6, RBI, 3 R, BB). The Trailblazers slowly climbed their way back into the game, cutting the Cobra lead to 9-6 in the bottom of the 6th, and Lewis & Clark took a 13-11 lead following a 7-run 7th inning.

Parkland answered in the top of the 8th with an Austin Gomm sacrifice fly, scoring Ty Hollandsworth (1-4, RBI, 2 R, 2 BB), and the visitors tied the game in the 9th on a 2-out pinch-hit RBI double off the bat of Josh Outlaw (1-2, 2 RBI), forcing extra innings. The Cobra offense reignited in the 10th as the team drove in five runs to take a commanding lead, and they closed out an exciting 18-13 win in the bottom half.

Sophomore Brenden Katz (3.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K) made his second start of the season on Friday, striking out three before Freddie Elftmann (1.1 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K) replaced him in the 4th. Freshman John Cederberg (2-0) entered the game in the bottom of the 8th, throwing two and 2/3 innings of shutout ball and striking out three to earn the win in the final regular season game.