Beavers Battle in Non-Conference Doubleheader

The Blackburn College baseball team took on the University of Illinois-Springfield in a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon in Carlinville. The Beavers, coming off of a tough weekend against top notch SLIAC opponents, lost the first game by a score of 9-0. 

Junior shortstop Franklin Bush managed to get the lone hit for the Beavers on a 6th inning double. Kaycee Jones was tagged with the loss on the mound as he was unable to find the zone and could not get out of the first inning. A pair of Josh's threw in relief for the Beavers with Norsigian throwing a solid 3 2/3 innings while only surrundering one earned run and three hits. Voigtlander pitched three innings and gave up four earned runs in his first appearance on the mound this year.

In game two, the Beavers saw themselves down 7-1 after six innings of play. Jacob Baalman got the start on the hill and lasted 5 1/3 innings allowing fourteen hits and six earned runs while striking out two. 

Blackburn started their comeback in the seventh inning when a Matt Mokriakow single plated Bush and Vinnie Birk. The Beavers put two more on the board in the eighth on a double by Jose Osorio which scored Josh Voigtlander. Osorio was driven in by a RBI single by Bush, who was caught trying to stretch the hit into a double. 

With little daylight remaining, the Beavers trailed 7-5 heading into the ninth frame. With two outs and runners on second and third, Osorio was intentionally walked which brought up Aaron Moody. He legged out an infield single that made the deficit only one. Vinnie Birk then worked a walk on a full count payoff pitch to knot up the score at 7. Springfield got Luiz Velez to line out to center to push the threat of a walk off victory away. 

The game was then suspended due to darkness and will be played at another date. Blackburn plays SLIAC favorite Webster University this weekend in a key conference series.