(Winter Haven, FL.) – Waubonsee Community College's baseball team picked up its third win of the young season by upsetting 10th ranked Herkimer (NY) Community College 6-5 on Wednesday afternoon at Chain of Lakes Park in Winter Haven, Florida. Highlighted by a two-run homer by Jacob Cronshaw the Chiefs rallied from an early deficit to knock off the Generals. Carson Baker came on to provide lockdown relief over the final three innings to earn the save for Waubonsee. Earlier in the day the Chiefs dropped a 9-3 decision to Hudson Valley (NY) Community College after scoring a 14-7 victory over Bunker Hill (MA) Community College on Tuesday morning. Waubonsee is set to wrap up its Spring Trip in Florida tomorrow, Thursday, March 20 with a doubleheader against Northern Essex (MA) Community College.
Herkimer jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning without getting the ball out of the infield taking advantage of some early wildness by Chiefs' starting pitcher Gabriel Kenah. Waubonsee tied the score in their half of the first as Cronshaw smacked a two-out, run-scoring single through the right side of the infield to drive in Landen Young. The Generals scored two more in the second courtesy of a walk, double and a Chiefs' error. Waubonsee got one of those runs back in the bottom of the frame as Jacob Decker drew a lead-off walk and raced all the way to third on an errant pickoff attempt by Herkimer pitcher Evan Staroba. He scored one pitch later when Max Smith ripped a single to center field.
The Generals then jumped ahead 5-2 on a two-out, two-run double in the third. The Chiefs quickly answered back as Chase Gabel reached base on an error and trotted home when Cronshaw followed with a line-shot home run to right. Sam Carroll then reached base on chopper to the right side as he beat the Generals' second baseman to the bag. Decker was then hit by a pitch and a sacrifice fly moved Carroll to third. After Decker stole second base, Cameron Hull hit a high hopping ball to the mound. With only one option, Staroba tossed to first for the second out of the inning as Carroll scored to knot the score. However, after an appeal the call was overturned when the umpires determined Herkimer first baseman Hugo Kohnhorst failed to touch the first base bag. Chiefs' leadoff hitter Dylan Conklin then drilled a screaming line drive back at the mound which knocked Staroba down. The big right-hander, who barely got a glove on the ball in self-defense, could not scramble to his feet in time to retire Conklin as Decker crossed the plate with the go ahead run.
Herkimer got the potential tying run to second in the fifth with one out before Baker came on in relief. Relying on a roundhouse breaking ball, the right-hander got a strikeout and a pop out to end the inning and escaped another threat in the sixth inning. The Generals got runners to second and third with one out before the Serena High School product struck out the next two batters to preserve the Chiefs' one-run lead. Baker then set down Herkimer in order in the seventh, registering his fifth strikeout for the final out of the game to stun the Generals. Cronshaw finished 2 for 4 with three runs driven in and one scored. Kenah earned the win by striking out six and walking two, while allowing only two earned runs.
In Waubonsee's loss to Hudson Valley earlier in the day the Chiefs fell behind 5-0 and could not recover. Decker, Hull and Louis Leon each registered two hits apiece with Hull and Leon each booking a double, and Cronshaw tripling to left center. Waubonsee downed Bunker Hill on Tuesday by building a 10-0 lead through five innings before the Bulldogs pulled within three heading into the eighth frame. The Chiefs then tacked on four more runs to win going away. Conklin led the way for first-year head coach Alex Hales' crew by going 4 for 6 with four runs batted in and two scored. Young also drove in four runs keyed by a towering three-run homer to left field in the fourth inning. Jack Sharko and Trey Hernandez each recorded two hits in support of Waubonsee starting pitcher Joel Lively. The right-hander allowed just two unearned runs over five innings, striking out six, walking three and giving up three hits in getting the win. Noah Dowler and Alex Oddo came on in relief for the Chiefs close out the win over the final four innings.
photos by Michelle Conklin Photograhy