(Sugar Grove, IL) – Waubonsee Community College's baseball team kept its' Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference (ISCC) record unblemished on Tuesday afternoon by downing Moraine Valley Community College 9-5 and 4-3. The Chiefs, winners of six straight and eight of their last 10 games, sit on top of the ISCC standings with an 8-0 mark. Coach Rodney Lopez' crew is now only one game under the .500 mark at 13-14 overall after being just 5-12 nine days ago.
Moraine Valley (3-22, 1-7) took an early lead by pushing across a run on a sacrifice fly in the top of the first. The Cyclones added a second run the next inning when Arnoldo Velazquez laced a shot down the left field line that a diving Joel Johnson got a glove on but could not corral. Velazquez eventually scored when Jack Hoh grounded a two-out single past third to give the visitors a 2-0 lead. The Chiefs responded in the bottom of the second as their bats came to life, sending 13 batters to the plate in an 8-run inning.
Matthew Bivens led off with a line single to center and then Jonny Marquez ripped the very next pitch into right field for a single. After Nathan Kennedy walked to load the bases, Cole Schrank then smacked the first pitch he saw through the left side for a 2-run single to tie the game. Joel Johnson then ripped a double to right center to drive in Kennedy and give Waubonsee a 3-2 lead. The Chiefs added two more runs when Garrett Peters followed with a single to right center to score both Schrank and Johnson. After a walk to Chazz Crook, Brendon Wilson slapped a single through the left side of the infield to knock in Peters for the sixth run in the inning. Marquez then registered his second hit of the inning as he drilled a two-out, two-run double to right center field knocking Moraine Valley starting pitcher Gus Velazquez out of the game.
The Cyclones got two of those runs back in the top of the third on another sacrifice fly by Max Hensler and a two-out, run scoring single by Arnoldo Velazquez. In the top of the fifth Moraine Valley took advantage of a pair of Waubonsee errors and a wild pitch to get a fifth run. Around that Chiefs' starter Brian Wrenn retired 10 of the 15 batters he faced. The right-hander struck out six, walked only one and scattered nine hits over six innings of work to pick up the win. Austin Winslow tossed a scoreless seventh for the Chiefs to close out game one.
Wilson finished the game 3 for 3 with a run scored, a run batted in, a walk and a stolen base. Peters went 2 for 4 with two runs driven in, two runs scored and a stolen base. Marquez also was 2 for 4 with a double, two runs knocked in and a run scored, while Crook drew a walk in all four of his plate appearances to snap his 19-consecutive game hitting streak.
In game two Waubonsee jumped in front with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. Johnson led off with a walk before Peters reached on an infield single. Johnson scored moments later courtesy of a throwing error by the Cyclones, and Peters came in on a sacrifice fly to right field by Wilson. Moraine Valley answered with two unearned runs in the top of the second to knot the score at two.
The Chiefs regained the lead in the bottom half of the frame when Lukas Haddox led off with a double down the left field line. Four batters later Haddox scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by Crook. The Cyclones had a prime scoring opportunity in the top of the fourth with runners at second and third and only one out. However, Hoh hit a sinking liner to right field that was snagged by Bivens who threw to second to double off the runner and end the inning. Waubonsee added an insurance run in the bottom half of the inning when Aidan Sheehan scored when Crook grounded out to shortstop. Unfortunately, the Chiefs left the bases loaded to allow Moraine Valley to stay within striking distance.
Meanwhile, Chiefs' starting pitcher lefty Ryan Buck held the Cyclones bats in check, surrendering only three hits through the first five innings. But Moraine Valley got a pair of infield hits in the top of the sixth to threaten once more. Buck induced a ground out for the second out before issuing a walk to load the bases. Eric Gonzalez came on in relief to face the Cyclones' 6'2" 245-pound three-hitter Gilberto Hernandez. However, the intense battle ended when Hernandez walked on a three-and-two pitch to make it a one-run game. The right-handed Gonzalez then got a soft line out to second to leave the bases loaded with Waubonsee clinging to a 4-3 lead.
Highlighted by a bare-handed snag of a chopper over third base by Haddox, who threw a strike across the infield for the second out, Gonzalez was able to slam the door shut in the top of the seventh to pick up the save. Peters paced Waubonsee's offense going 2 for 4 with a run knocked in, one run scored and a stolen base. Haddox finished 2 for 2 with a double, a run scored and a sacrifice.
Waubonsee is in action again tomorrow, Wednesday, April 12 when they host Kankakee Community College. The first pitch between the Chiefs and Cavaliers (19-8) is set for 3:00 p.m. Waubonsee is also scheduled to welcome Harper College to Sugar Grove on Friday, April 14 for a non-conference doubleheader beginning at 2:00 p.m.
(photos by Julio Romero)