NORMAL, Ill. – The No. 2 seed Parkland College Baseball team dropped its first game in the Central District Championship, losing 14-6 to No. 1 seed Heartland Community College in the semifinals on Friday, May 19th. The Cobras (46-13) led early, but the Hawks (52-5) stormed back on a rainy day at the Corn Crib to send Parkland to the consolation bracket. Sophomore Jackson Blemler (2-3, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB) and freshman Chase Becker (2-4, HR, 2 RBI, R) led the team in hits and RBI in the loss.
 
"I liked the team's energy," head coach Anthony Silkwood said after the game. "I think the biggest thing every game is we bring the same energy every time."
 
"They're good teammates, they're fun in the dugout, and they play loose," Silkwood added. "We just didn't have it today."
 
Parkland awaits the winner of No. 3 seed Lincoln Land Community College and No. 6 seed Illinois Central in the consolation bracket later today, May 19th. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 PM, with the winner advancing to the Central District Championship game tomorrow, May 20th.
 
No. 1 Heartland Community College 14, No. 2 Parkland College 6
 
The Cobras opened the game with back-to-back doubles from sophomores Jackson Blemler and Austin Gomm (1-4, RBI, R) to take an early lead over the Hawks, and Gomm scored on an error later in the 1st inning to make it 2-0. Heartland loaded the bases in the 2nd, but starting pitcher Alex Pipes (7-2) got out of the jam with a line out to center field.
 
The Hawks rallied with a nine-run inning in the bottom of the 3rd, and Heartland added a two-run home run in the 4th to take an 11-2 lead. The Cobras fought back with a bases-loaded RBI single from Chase Becker in the 5th, and Blemler launched a two-run homer over the center field wall in the 6th to cut the deficit to 11-5, his fourth of the year.
 
Becker kept the comeback alive with a solo home run in the top of the 7th, his 15th of the season, but a Heartland three-run home run in the bottom half ended the game on runs, handing Parkland a 14-6 loss in seven innings.
 
Sophomore Alex Pipes (2.1 IP, 8 H, 9 ER, 5 BB, 2 K) was replaced by freshman Freddie Elftmann (1.2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K) in the third inning in the loss. Freshman John Cederberg (2.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 1 BB) calmed things down in the 5th, holding the Hawks scoreless until the game-ending home run.