Cornell held on for a 13-11 Game 1 victory and managed to split Sunday’s baseball doubleheader against Midwest Conference preseason favorite Illinois College at Joe Brooks Field.
The Blueboys won the second game, 13-5, and claimed the opening MWC weekend series, 2-1. Illinois College prevailed 3-2 in 11 innings on Saturday.
The Rams (4-10 overall, 1-2 MWC) got going offensively to the tune of 13 hits in Game 1, which saw junior right-hander Jake Schope (1-1) deliver seven strong innings on the mound for his first win of the season.
Cornell struck for eight runs in the top of the eighth to build a seemingly comfortable 13-2 lead. The Blueboys (7-11, 2-1 MWC) countered with nine runs in their final two at-bats before Ram reliever Aiden Rosenthal was able to stall the comeback.
With the Rams ahead 13-11 in the bottom of the ninth, Rosenthal wriggled out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam and ended the game without further damage. Rosenthal induced a 1-2-3 double play and retired the final batter on a groundout to shortstop James Kent.
Drew Logel went 2-for-5 with a two-run homer in Cornell’s big eighth inning. Kent doubled and drove in a pair. Kale Rose, Tony Neuman, Darren Mancke, Colin Konicek and Colin Gierula all had multi-hit games for the Rams.
The Rams accounted for 10 hits in Game 2, although couldn’t overcome a 10-3 deficit through four innings.
Paxon Wright came off the bench to collect two hits and two RBIs. Gierula also went 2-for-3 and scored a run. Seth Beals and Kent both had a double.
Kent reached base safely for the 14th consecutive game this season.
The Rams used six pitchers in the nightcap. Freshman Vince Zipperer and Bobby Petersen both tossed one scoreless inning in relief.
Earlier in the week, the Rams lost a 11 inning baseball game against Illinois College 3-2.
The Rams gave up a one-out single with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 11th inning, giving Illinois College a hard-fought 3-2 victory. The walk-off hit to left field was the only lead of the day for the Blueboys, picked to win the MWC this season.
Gierula bunted home Josiah Shaw to push the Rams ahead 2-0 in the top of the seventh inning. Illinois College struck twice in the bottom of the seventh and the scored remained locked at 2-2 into the 11th.
Illinois College put the winning run on base with a leadoff walk in the bottom of the 11th. The runner moved to second on a wild pitch and took third on an errant pickoff attempt at second. After a strikeout, the Rams intentionally walked the next two batters after falling behind in the count, setting up Illinois College’s winning hit.
Cornell starter Kole Hinrichsen tossed seven impressive innings, scattering only four singles and striking out seven.
Both teams finished with five hits apiece. Cornell’s Alec Boldt doubled for the lone extra-base hit of the game. Gierula had two RBIs for Cornell, including a single that plated Mancke in the fifth.