CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The No. 12 ranked Parkland College Baseball team split a conference doubleheader against Vincennes University on Saturday, May 6th, as the Cobras (41-11) (18-10) defeated the Trailblazers 10-5 in game one before losing 3-2 in game two. Freshman Sebastian Gutierrez (3-2) earned the win in relief, and sophomore Austin Gomm tied the Parkland single-season home run record with his 17th bomb of the year in game one.
Up next, Parkland travels to Lewis & Clark Community College on Thursday, May 11th, for another conference doubleheader. First pitch against the Trailblazers (30-22) (14-14) is scheduled for noon in Godfrey, Illinois.
No. 12 Parkland College 10, Vincennes University 5
Parkland grabbed the lead in the bottom of the 1st inning on the record-tying home run from Austin Gomm (1-4, HR), and a Chase Becker RBI triple put the Cobras up 2-0. The Trailblazers got a run back in the top of the 2nd, and the visitors led 4-3 in the 3rd, but back-to-back RBI from Tyler Herron (2-4, 2B, 3B, 4 RBI, 3 R) and Angelo Luna (2-3, 2B, RBI, R) in the bottom of the inning put Parkland back in front 5-4. Both teams scored late, but the Cobras pulled away thanks to a 4-run 6th inning, and Parkland won 10-5.
Starting pitcher Chase Becker (2.1 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 1 K) faced 16 batters before handing the job over to Sebastian Gutierrez (3.1 IP, 2 H, ER, 1 BB, 3 K) in the 3rd inning. Freshman Freddie Elftmann made his ninth appearance in the 6th before sophomore Brenden Katz (1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER) finished the game with one and 1/3 innings of shutout ball.
Vincennes University 3, No. 12 Parkland College 2
Vincennes took a 1-0 lead in the top of the 1st as the Parkland bats went quiet early in game two, but the Cobras tied the game on a Tyler Herron (1-2, RBI) sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 5th. The Trailblazers answered in the 6th, driving in two runs, and the Cobras could not overcome the deficit, losing 3-2 in game two.
Sophomore Alex Pipes (7-1) picked up his first loss of the season despite a steady five-hit, 11-strikeout start. Pipes allowed three earned runs on five hits and three walks, going six innings before William O'Gorman (3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 K) relieved him in the 7th.