Game #1 Box Score
Game #2 Box Score
The Carthage College baseball team (22-12, 11-6 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin) split a Saturday, May 1 doubleheader with CCIW-opponent Millikin University (11-24, 5-12 CCIW) at Sunnyside Park in Decatur, Ill. Carthage won the first game, 13-5, before losing the nightcap, 14-10, on a walk-off grand slam home run by the Big Blue's Theo Facer. The split left the Red Men in third place in the CCIW, three games behind league-leader North Central College.
In the opening game, Matt Soderlund hit a two-run double in the second to give Carthage a 2-0 lead. Soderlund drove in another run with a single in the fourth to make it 3-0. Millikin cut the lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth on a fielder's choice-RBI by Sean Ryan. An RBI-double by the Big Blue's Stefen Edwards in the fifth, along with a fielder's choice-RBI by Theo Facer tied the game, 3-3. The Red Men re-gained the lead, 4-3, in the sixth on an RBI-double by Zach Kozlowski. Millikin went ahead, 5-4, with a pair of runs in the eighth. Millikin took a 5-4 lead in the eighth. Mike Maziarz was hit by a pitch to open the inning, and Sean Ryan singled. Logan Bolton reached base on a sacrifice-bunt attempt, with Red Men catcher Matt Soderlund throwing the ball into leftfield, allowing Maziarz to score from second. Matt Beiler was walked intentionally to load the bases, and Andrew Agee hit a sacrifice fly to score Ryan.
Carthage scored nine times in the ninth to take an 13-5 lead. Nate Hughes hit a pinch-hit, opposite-field two-run home run, and Trevor Whately followed with a solo homer. The Red Men proceeded to load the bases, and Zach Kozlowski walked to force in the fourth run of the inning. Tyler Eickmeyer singled in two runs to make it 10-5, and Matt Soderlund delivered a three-run homer to complete the nine-run rally.
Carthage pitcher Mario Perez was pulled in the third inning, as a precaution, with muscle spasms in the shoulder and replace by Scott Danly. Danly (4-1) picked up the win despite giving up five runs, four earned, on six hits over five and two-thirds innings. Trace Ruffie worked the ninth inning. Logan Bolton (0-4), the second-of-three Big Blue pitchers, took the loss. Carthage's Matt Soderlund went three-for-three with a double, a home run and six RBI, while Zach Kozlowski and Tyler Eickmeyer both went three-for-four with two RBI.
In the second game, the Big Blue took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI-single by Mike Maziarz. The Red Men tied the contest in the bottom half on a solo homer by Josh Albers. Matt Beiler's RBI-double in the second gave Millikin a 2-1 lead. Carthage went up, 3-2, in the third on a single by Bill Herrin and an RBI-double by Joey Aiello. The lead went to 8-2 in the fourth on RBI-singles by Tyler Eickmeyer and Trevor Whately, a two-run single by Billy Herrin and an RBI-single by Joey Aiello. Millikin's Matt Beiler hit a towering home run to left in the bottom of the fourth to make it 8-3, and a solo shot by Stefen Edwards made it 8-4. Millikin scored four times in the sixth to take a 9-8 lead. Andrew Agee hit a two-run homer, Blaise Sylvester an RBI-single and Mike Maziarz a two-run single. The Big Blue added a run in the seventh to take a two-run lead, 10-8. Carthage made it a 10-9 game in the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Mike Hughes.
The Red Men tied the game, 10-10, in the ninth when Tyler Eickmeyer scored Josh Albers from third on a fielder's choice grounder. Millikin won the game in the bottom of the ninth on a walk-off grand-slam home run by Theo Facer. With two outs, pitcher Bryan Kieffer walked both Matt Beiler and Andrew Agee. Kieffer gave way to Danny Dahm. Stefen Edwards reached on a catcher's interference call to load the bases before Facer launched his game-winning homer to left. Bryan Kieffer (1-3) took the loss in relief of Chris Krepline. Krepline surrendered the first eight runs, all earned, on nine hits and three walks. Peter Bonner (1-3), the third-of-three Millikin hurlers, picked up the win. The Red Men's Billy Herrin went two-for-six with three RBI, while Joey Aiello went three-for-five with two RBI. The two teams conclude the series on Sunday, May 2 with a single game at Noon.
