One strike away from claiming a three-game sweep, Illinois College foiled the plans with a 4-3 comeback win over the Rams in Midwest Conference baseball action Saturday afternoon at Prospect Meadows.
Cornell settled for a 2-1 series win, after beating the Blueboys twice Friday in Mount Vernon.
The Rams scored all of their runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, grabbing a 3-0 lead following an RBI single from Seth Beals and a two-out, two-run hit from James Kent.
Illinois College cut the margin to 3-1 on a solo homer in the eighth, and then mounted a two-out rally with nobody on base in the top of the ninth. Two singles, sandwiched by a stolen base, brought the Blueboys within 3-2.
Leadoff hitter Peyton Phillis then put the Blueboys ahead 4-3 with a two-strike, two-run homer that proved to be the difference.
Cornell had two runners on base in the bottom of the ninth, when the Blueboys escaped the jam with a game-ending fielder’s choice ground ball.
The Rams were limited to three hits for the game, singles by Vince Zipperer, Beals and Kent.
Starting pitcher Will Miller threw three scoreless innings before handing the ball to Preston Wright, who surrendered only one run and three hits over five innings. Patrick Montagna (2-1) came on in the ninth and was dealt his first loss of the season.
Earlier in the series, the Rams swept Illinois College in a doubleheader 5-2 and 11-9.
Hinrichsen, fresh off a one-hit shutout win March 16, was once again in total control on the mound. The senior allowed five singles and two runs over 7.1 innings while walking only two.
Hinrichsen bumped his career strikeout total to 164, ranking No. 4 on Cornell’s all-time list. He has 39 strikeouts over 24.1 innings this spring.
Patrick Montagna worked 1.2 innings scoreless innings in relief to earn the Game 1 save, his second of the season.
The Rams capitalized on five Illinois College errors in the opener, which they led 3-2 going into the bottom of the eighth. Drew Logel executed a squeeze bunt to bring home Seth Beals and James Kent scored later on the play to give Cornell a three-run cushion.
Colin Gierula went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Beals scored twice.
Kent carried a hot bat in the nightcap, going 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and three RBIs. The Rams trailed 8-4 before charging back with seven runs in their final three at-bats.
Kent’s RBI double keyed a three-run sixth frame that brought the Rams within 8-7. Darren Mancke delivered a clutch, two-out, two-run double in the seventh that pushed Cornell ahead 9-8. Vince Zipperer, who scored three times in the game, added an RBI single in the inning.
Winning pitcher Jake Schope was tough over 4.2 innings in relief, enabling Cornell’s comeback. The senior struck out eight, improving his season record to 2-1. Carter Kriegel worked a perfect ninth inning for his second save of the year.
Logel finished with two hits and Gierula drove in two.
Cornell baseball one run away from sweep of Illinois College series
March 30, 2023