Baseball: Hampshire vs. Dundee-Crown suspended with D-C leading
Hampshire's comeback in the gloaming fell a little short at Dundee-Crown Tuesday, but it's not over yet.
In a suspended Fox Valley Conference baseball game that started 65 minutes late due to transportation issues, the Whip-Purs rallied for 2 runs in the top of the sixth against Northern Illinois-bound D-C pitcher Erik Hedmark to draw within 5-3.
Hampshire had the potential tying runs in scoring position, but Hedmark, a junior left-hander, induced an inning-ending groundball off the bat of Jakob Kostecki. D-C shortstop Ryan Denz threw to first base for the out to quell the uprising.
"The pitcher has the advantage when it's getting dark, but I was just trying to feed off the energy from both dugouts, said Hedmark, who in 6 innings allowed 4 runs (3 earned) on 4 hits and 3 walks and struck out 5 "It was a tight game. I love that situation, personally"
The umpires subsequently suspended the game in the middle of the sixth inning due to darkness.
According to FVC rules, the game will be completed Wednesday before the regularly scheduled contest at Hampshire, weather permitting. Dundee-Crown will be coming to bat in the bottom of the sixth with a 5-3 lead. The 3-game series is scheduled to conclude Thursday at Hampshire.
"And you want to face a team like Dundee-Crown back to back to back," Hampshire coach John Sarna said. "Otherwise, you have to face Hedmark twice."
Kevin Michaelsen got things started in the sixth for Hampshire (4-2-1). The No. 2 hitter led off with an infield single and pinch hitter Nick Tenney singled one out later. After Kyle Homa drew a walk to load the bases, the Whip-Purs drew within 5-2 on a passed ball. Matt Wians then muscled a single to right field to make it 5-3. Wians went 2-for-3 with a double.
"A couple of slow rollers didn't go our way," first-year Dundee-Crown coach Matt Mueller said. "I thought (Hedmark) did a great job. He attacked, threw strikes. I thought our defense played well as a whole. He put us in good position and we got behind him so I was happy."
Dundee-Crown (3-0) was outhitting Hampshire 6-4 before the suspension. The Chargers bunched 4 hits together in the third inning against Hampshire starting pitcher Carter Lawler. Denz's single to center scored Jack Waldron to knot the score at 1-1. After Hedmark walked, Conor Ryan delivered the go-ahead single to left field. Jonathan Mays singled up the middle one out later to make it 3-1 and a fourth run crossed on a wild pitch.
D-C moved to a 5-1 lead in the fifth inning when No. 7 hitter Scott Wojcik delivered a two-out single on a 2-2 pitch from Hampshire relief pitcher Christian Puente. The knock to left field scored Mays, who singled and was balked to second.
"I saw a good fastball first pitch and I swung over it," Wojcik said. "Then he threw me a changeup and I was out ahead. I just saw a good fastball."