On Friday afternoon, Lemont played host to No. 12 Marist in the “Do It Stevie’s Way Tournament”. In what seemed like a run-away victory for Marist in the first couple innings, turned into anything but that. In the seventh inning Lemont scored four runs and had the tying run at the plate but Marist was able to hang on for a 14-11 victory.

Lemont (13-9) trailed Marist 14-7 in the bottom of the seventh, but mounted a rally, cutting the lead to 14-11 with two outs. Lemont, had two men on and were able to bring the tying run to the plate against RHP Justin Janas. Janas, who actually started the game, came back on the mound with two outs in the seventh and induced a groundout to first base to end the furious Lemont rally. Four hits and two walks led to the four runs in the bottom of the seventh for the Indians of Lemont. Freshman Brady Small, who went 2-for-4 on the day had a single and scored a run in the frame.

Lemont trailed 13-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning and were one out away from being run-ruled. With two men on, left-handed hitter, Gavin Pawell, turned on a pitch and deposited it over the right-field wall for a three-run home run, cutting the lead to 13-5 and giving life to the Indians. Lemont would go on to score two more in the sixth and four more in the seventh to make things interesting.

Marist (11-7), jumped on the board early and often taking a 7-0 lead into the third inning and an 11-0 lead going into the bottom of the fifth. Kendal Ewell, who went a perfect 4-for-4 on the day with five RBI’s, delivered a three-run home run to right-center field, to get things going in the top of the first inning. Janas, who got the win and the save on the mound, delivered a two-run single in the four-run second. He added an RBI single and scored a run in the fourth. Ewell had a sacrifice fly in the fourth and sophomore catcher Jonny Crowel singled home a run.

Janas, was one of the lone bright spots on the mound for Marist. In total, the Illinois commit, went 3.1 innings pitched, allowed three hits, no runs, struck out two and did not walk a batter on 40 pitches; 65% of them landing for strikes.

Junior left-handed pitcher Blake McGrath struck out four in three innings of work out of the bullpen for Lemont.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES 

+ Jack Brannigan (Marist; Notre Dame commit): 2-for-2, 2B, BB, 3 R
+ Justin Janas (Marist; Illinois commit): 3-for-4, 3 RBI, R
+ Kendal Ewell (Marist; Eastern Kentucky commit): 4-for-4, HR, 3B, 5 RBI, R
+ Jonny Crowel (Marist): 2-for-5, 3B, 3 RBI
+ Cameron Nagel (Lemont): 2-for-4, BB, 2 R
+ Bobby Wisz (Lemont; Triton JC commit): 2-for-3, 2 BB, 2 RBI, 2 R
+ Gavin Powell (Lemont): 1-for-3, HR, BB, 3 RBI, R
+ Brady Small (Lemont): 2-for-4, 2 R
+ Jack Ferguson (Lemont): 2-for-3, RBI, R

For more in-depth notes from the games - and all other games that we cover - visit the Illinois Scout Blog.

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