Game 1

No. 23 Sandburg - 4
Lincoln-Way Central - 3

On Thursday No. 23 Sandburg played a double header at Ozinga Field in Crestwood, IL. The first game took place at 10:30 am and the Eagles of Sandburg, matched up with Lincoln-Way Central. Sandburg did all their damage in the third inning, ultimately holding on to defeat Lincoln-Way Central, by the score of 4-3.

Sandburg (3-1) trailed 2-0 in the top of the third when they finally got things going. Ian Sanders, led off the frame with a deep drive to center field that resulted in a triple. Sophomore John-Michael Scumaci would deliver an RBI line-drive to left field a few batters later and Tommy Windt (South Suburban JC commit) flared an RBI double down the right field line and later scored. When the third was finally complete, Sandburg led 4-2.

Lincoln-Way Central (2-2) would be held scoreless until the bottom of the seventh. MSOE commit, Kyle Labedz led off the seventh with a clean single to get a rally started for the Knights. A few batters later Michael Maloney reached on a fielder's choice which scored Labedz, cutting the lead to 4-3. That brought up senior Dylan Post, a Houston commit and one of the top prospects in the Illinois’ 2019 class. With two outs, a runner on first and down one, Post had a chance to tie or win the game with an extra-base hit. Sandburg reliever, junior RHP Patrick Rafferty, was up to the challenge and induced a fly ball to center field, preserving the 4-3 win for Sandburg.

Rafferty picked up the save in relief of starter Ryan Leland (Ball State commit). Rafferty went 1.2 innings, two hits, one run and struck out two. After giving up two runs in the first, Leland, the Sandburg starter, settled in over his final 4.1 innings pitched. Leland scattered three hits and no runs the rest of the way.

Tate Dynia was lights out in his stint out of the bullpen for Lincoln-Way Central. Dynia, went four innings, allowing no hits, no runs, striking out six and walking one.

Johnny McGuire went 3-for-4 with a run scored and a stolen base in the loss.

Game 2

Andrew 16
No. 23 Sandburg - 9

In game two of No. 23 Sandburg’s double header, the Eagles matched up against Andrew. The Thunderbolts of Andrew put on an offensive display, pounding out 19 hits en-route to a 16-9 win.

Andrew (5-1-1) scored in every inning of the game but one, with their biggest innings coming in the second and fifth. In the second inning, the T-Bolts put up a six spot, collecting six hits in the frame including two triples and an inside-the-park home run. Brendon Herrin, an Evansville commit, delivered the first triple, then it was Nolan Fasel’s turn for a triple and Josh Kirnbauer finished the extra-base affair off with his inside-the-park home run. Andrew took what seemed to be an insurmountable 8-0 lead into the bottom of the second inning.

That is when Sandburg decided to fire on all cylinders, putting up eight runs in a hurry and tying up the ballgame after two complete. The Eagles sent 13 batters to the plate in the bottom of the second, recording six hits and five walks or hit-by-pitches. Nick Skrabis delivered two triples and three RBI’s of his own in the frame. Cody Watson delivered a two-run single, Tommy Windt plated a run on a single and Jimmy Rybarczyk drove one in on a deep double to left-center field in the frame.

That would pretty much do it for the Sandburg offense after that, as Andrew would continue their offensive outpouring, scoring a run in the third, two in the fourth, four in the fifth and one more in the seventh.

Ryan Fitzgerald threw the final three innings for Andrew. The junior right-hander ran his fastball up to 85 mph, allowed one hit, one unearned run, no walks while striking out four.

All-in-all, every Andrew starter had a hit and seven had multi-hit performances. Kirnbauer led the way going 4-for-4 with four runs, four RBI and the inside-the-park home run. Joe DeHaan finished 3-for-5 with three RBI and two triples.

Skrabis led the way for Sandburg going 2-for-4 with two triples, three RBI’s and a run scored.

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

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