Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Baseball Eagles still struggling but still alive

May 9, 2017 vs. Zeigler-Royalton/Christopher

The Vienna Eagles hosted the Zeigler-Royalton Tornadoes to close out the Black Diamond Conference season in a makeup game on Tuesday.

The Tornadoes hopped off the bus and scored a pair of runs in the first inning to take a 2-0 lead.  The Tornadoes added another run in the 3rd inning to close out the scoring in the game.

SEMO signee, Gabe Schimpf struck out fourteen batters and only allowed one Eagle hit, a 5th inning Trenton Hyde single, in the game.

Hyde picked up the loss on the mound working six innings.  He allowed three runs (one earned on five hits, he walked two and struck out five in the contest.

Brennan Jacobsen worked a scoreless 7th inning on the mound as the Eagles fell 3-0 and finished up the BDC season with a 2-6 mark.

May 10, 2017 vs. Eldorado

The Eagles from Eldorado came to town on Senior Recognition Day on Wednesday.

Eldorado opened up the scoring with four two out runs in the 3rd inning.

The Vienna Eagles got on the board in the bottom of the frame.  With one out, Nate Kerley walked and scored on a Christian Pearl double.

Eldorado added one more in the 4th and three runs in the 5th to take an 8-1 lead.

The Eagles clawed back into the game in the bottom of the 6th inning.  Ryan Wright led off with a single to left field but he was thrown out trying to stretch the hit to a double.  Lucas Strickland followed with a walk and he advanced to second on a passed ball.  Jakob Breeden followed with a home-run to left field to cut the margin to 8-3.

The first two Vienna Eagles went down in order to start the 7th inning.  With two outs, Layton Edmonds singled and Zach Schell walked.  Edmonds scored on an RBI single from Ryan Wright.  A soft liner didn’t find the hole and the Eagles fell 8-4.

Edmonds got the start and lasted five innings.  He allowed eight runs (six earned) on eleven hits.  He walked one, hit one, and struck out two.

Ryan Wright worked two scoreless innings of relief.  He allowed two hits and struck out two.

May 12, 2017 @ Benton

The Eagles traveled to Benton to take on the Rangers on Friday in the regular season finale.

Benton scored a pair of runs in the first inning and a single run in the second inning to take a 3-0 lead.

Zach Schell led off the Eagle’s 5th inning with a walk.  He advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt from Ryan Wright.  Schell scored on an RBI double from Jakob Breeden.  Nate Kerley lined out to left field on a diving play by the Benton left-fielder to end the threat.

Benton added single runs in the 5th and 6th innings to take a 5-1 lead.  With one out in the top of the 7th inning, Schell hit a long home-run to left field to provide the final 5-2 margin.

Ryan Wright drew the pitching duties and worked 5 2/3 innings.  He allowed five runs on just two hits.  He walked six, hit a batter and struck out four.

Brennan Jacobsen gave up an RBI double and retired the other batter he faced in his 1/3 inning of work.

The Eagles finished the regular season with a 6-16 record.

May 15, 2017 @ Zeigler vs. Z-R-C IHSA 2A Regional Quarterfinal

The Eagles traveled to Zeigler to face the Tornadoes in a Regional Quarterfinal matchup on Monday.  Zeigler had already beaten the Eagles 2-1 and 3-0 (just six days ago) this season. This is the same Tornado team that ended the Eagles Regional Tournament run last season in the Championship Game.

The Eagles managed only a walk in the first three innings and the first nine Tornadoes went down in order, four courtesy of strikeouts.

In the top of the 4th inning, Nate Kerley led off with a walk and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Christian Pearl. Pearl reached safely and Kerley went to third base when the catcher threw wide of first base.  Trenton Hyde walked to load the bases with no outs.

Kerley beat the catcher to the plate to score the first run of the game after a Layton Edmonds dribbler was momentarily fumbled.

Brennan Jacobsen then lined into a double play and Zach Schell flied to left to end the threat.

Zeigler tied the game in the bottom of the 5th inning and stranded a runner at third base.

Neither team scored in the 6th or 7th innings.

In the Eagle 8th inning, Kerley led off with a single off the third basemen’s glove.  He advanced to second base on Pearl’s third successful sacrifice bunt of the game.

After an intentional walk to Trenton Hyde, Edmonds poked an RBI base hit to right field to score Kerley.

The Tornadoes had the lead off batter in the bottom of the 8th inning reach via a base hit.  He was erased two pitches later on pickoff throw from Eagle catcher, Jakob Breeden.

The next hitter struck out.

The Tornadoes followed with a single and lazy fly ball to centerfield that Nate Kerley gobbled up for the 2-1 Eagle victory.

Christian Pearl pitched all eight innings to earn the win on the mound.  He allowed one unearned run in the game on five hits.  He struck out seven and walked only one.

The Eagles were able to avenge last season’s loss to the Tornadoes in the Regional Final.

The Eagles advance in Regional play to face DuQuoin in the IHSA Carterville 2A Regional Tournament on Thursday at 4:30.  The Regional Final will take place on Saturday at 11:00 AM at Carterville.

Let’s all hope the Eagles can find their way back to the Regional Final.