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Three more wins for the Chargers improved their record to 25-10 on the year. With win number 25, the Chargers have won 25 or more games in back-to-back seasons, a first for the program.
Orion scored six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a late lead, but Illini West regained the lead in the top of the seventh to secure the victory Wednesday in Orion.
Illini West got on the board first with a pair of one-out extra-base hits in the top of the first. Wesley Robertson tripled to plate Nick Johnson, who walked to lead off the game.
Shawn Watkins Jr. followed Robertson’s triple with a double to give the Chargers a 2-0 lead after one inning.
Orion responded with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first to cut the lead to 2-1.
The score remained unchanged until the top of the fifth, when Grady Blue hit a one-out RBI single to score Ethan Carlisle, who led off the inning with a single and stole second and third.
Watkins Jr. extended the Chargers’ lead to 4-1 with a two-out double to plate Blue, recording his second RBI of the day.
Three singles, two errors, two walks, a sacrifice fly, and a wild pitch allowed Orion to score six runs in the bottom of the sixth, putting Illini West behind for the first time at the end of six innings.
A two-out error in the top of the seventh gave Illini West extra life, and they capitalized.
After an error on a Carter Chapin ground ball, Stephen Sparks singled to left to score Robertson, who had reached on a one-out single, stolen second, and advanced to third on the Orion error.
Tre Neiderman, Nick Bruns, and Carlisle all recorded infield hits, the latter two resulting in RBIs to tie the game. Sparks scored the eventual winning run on a wild pitch to make it 8-7 Illini West.
Neiderman made quick work of Orion in the bottom of the seventh, retiring the side in 11 pitches.
Neiderman earned the win, pitching 1.1 innings, allowing no runs on zero hits while striking out two.
Jaydyn Combites started for Illini West, pitching 5.2 innings, allowing seven runs (three earned) on seven hits, striking out two, and walking four.
Watkins Jr. finished the day 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a pair of doubles. Carlisle went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
The Chargers found themselves in another close contest Thursday when they took on the Rockets in Carthage.
Illini West fell behind early after a second-inning grand slam gave Routt a 5-1 lead.
The Chargers cut the lead in half in the bottom of the third. Chapin singled to right to start the inning and advanced to third on an error, followed by a Blue walk. Blue advanced 90 feet on a steal of secound.
Robertson earned an RBI with a sacrifice fly to center to plate Chapin, and Watkins Jr. followed with a sacrifice fly to score Blue, making it 5-3.
In the bottom of the fifth, Robertson hit a one-out double and stole third.
Watkins Jr. hit a ground ball to the Rocket shortstop, who was unable to throw out Robertson at the plate, narrowing the score to 5-4.
Chapin led off the bottom of the seventh with a single to right, stole second, and advanced to third on a bad throw by the Rocket catcher. Blue tied the game with an RBI groundout to the shortstop.
The Chargers were unable to push across the winning run, and the game went to extra innings.
Illini West worked in and out of trouble in the top of the 10th. The Rockets loaded the bases with one out after three consecutive walks.
Neiderman induced a fly ball, and the Chargers caught the runner between third and home, tagging him out to keep the score tied.
Robertson sealed the victory with an RBI double in the bottom of the 11th, giving Illini West their second straight one-run victory.
Robertson started for the Chargers, pitching nine innings, allowing five runs (three earned) on seven hits while striking out seven and walking one.
Neiderman received the win, pitching 1.2 innings, allowing no runs on one hit and walking one.
Robertson went 4-for-5 with two RBIs and two doubles. Watkins Jr. recorded two RBIs, and Bruns went 3-for-3.
Illini West scored 13 runs in the first four innings to make quick work of Hannibal in Carthage on Saturday.
Johnson went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a double. Blue finished with two hits in three at-bats and a pair of RBIs. Sparks also recorded two RBIs, going 2-for-3.
Carlisle received the win after pitching four innings, allowing zero runs on one hit while striking out eight and walking three.
The Chargers (25-10) are the No. 4 seed in the Macomb Regional and will face No. 5 seed Macomb on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in Macomb.
If they defeat the Bombers, Illini West will play the winner of No. 1 seed Eureka vs. No. 8 seed Canton in the Regional Finals in Macomb on Saturday at 11:00.