Box Score NORMAL, Ill. – The No. 14 Parkland College Baseball team continued its postseason run with a 15-5 win in six innings over East Central College (MO) in the NJCAA Division II Central District Championship on Thursday, May 16th. The Cobras (41-13) started strong and outpaced the Falcons (37-20) down the stretch, outhitting the Region 16 champions 13-3 to advance. Starting pitcher William O'Gorman (8-1) pitched a six-inning complete game on Thursday, striking out 10 batters in the win, and first baseman Luke Parmentier (3-4, HR, 4 RBI, 4 R, BB) led the Cobras in RBI and runs against the Falcons.
 
Up next, Parkland will take on conference rival Heartland Community College tomorrow, May 17th, in the NJCAA Central District Semifinals. First pitch against the Hawks (40-15) is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. at the Corn Crib.
 
Game 1: No. 14 Parkland College 8, East Central College 0
 
The Cobras got off to a fast start in the top of the 1st inning, taking a 3-0 lead on an Adison Worthman (2-5, HR, 3 RBI, R) home run before Jax Hilse (RBI, R,  2 BB) walked in a run and Josh Outlaw scored on a sacrifice fly to put Parkland up 5-0 early.
 
The Falcons chipped away at the deficit with a run in the bottom of the 3rd, but the Cobras countered quickly with two runs in the 4th to extend the lead, and Luke Parmentier lifted a 3-run home run of his own in the 5th inning to take a 10-1 lead. Later in the 5th, Jacob Filip (2-3, 2 RBI, R, BB) grounded a 2-RBI single up the middle, giving Parkland a 12-1 lead, but East Central battled back with four runs in the bottom half to cut it to 12-5.
 
The Cobras kept their foot on the gas in the top of the 6th, scoring on a Scott Newman (3-3, 3B, 2B, 2 RBI, 3 R) triple and a Parmentier single back-to-back and Will Flanigan (2-4, RBI, R) lifted a sacrifice fly to put Parkland up 15-5.
 
Sophomore starter William O'Gorman (6.0 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 10 K, 2 BB) showed no signs of slowing down, ending the game by striking out the side in the bottom of the 6th, and the Cobras closed out the 15-5 win to advance to the Central District Semifinals.