CAROL STREAM, Ill. – Sam Burnoski's two-out RBI single and a subsequent fielding error in centerfield allowed the tying and winning runs to score and sent the Roosevelt baseball team to a 2-1 walk-off win that secured a doubleheader split against CCAC rival Trinity Christian at Lee Pfund Stadium on Thursday.
The first game of the twinbill was another close contest that was decided in the game's final stage, as the Trolls used two 10th-inning runs to get past the Lakers by a final of 3-1.
That walk-off win is big," said Roosevelt head coach Steve Marchi. "We were having trouble making adjustment. I don't know how many times we struck out right now, but I probably don't have enough fingers and toes to count them, and every time we looked up it seemed like we were 0-2 or we were hitting from behind and we didn't make those adjustments, except for Sammy in that last at-bat. I don't know if I've ever seen such a poor swing and then such good swings. It helped us that [the centerfielder] bobbled that ball out there.
"But that's what we keep telling the guys: just keep going, keep going, keep going down to our last strike."
Both games were highlighted by mound dominance as both teams combined to allowed just four earned runs. Roosevelt hurlers allowed just two earned runs in 17 innings of play.
"We got two very well-pitched games, and that's what we need," Marchi said. "So even on a day like today where we didn't hit, we stayed in those games because we pitched really well."
Burnoski had a team-high three hits on the day.
Roosevelt moves to 3-4 overall and 2-1 in the CCAC after today's doubleheader. Trinity Christian went to 7-8 and 3-2 in conference play.
The games, which were played two days after the original schedule date but postponed on Tuesday due to frigid temperatures, were played at Wheaton College's Lee Pfund Stadium at Legion Field, which features FieldTurf, in Carol Stream due to the toll winter weather has taken on natural grass fields across the Chicagoland area and the Midwest.
Game Two: Roosevelt 2, Trinity Christian 1
Roosevelt trailed Trinity Christian for most of the day's second game and seemed unable to muster anything against a stellar performance from pitcher Rick Tilquist, but the Lakers' offense awoke in the final frame to send the Green and White to a 2-1 walk-off win.
Roosevelt pitcher Marcus Radz was as impressive as his Trinity Christian counterpart, allowing just one third-inning run while scattering five hits to record his first collegiate victory.
Tilquist held the Lakers at bay for most of the day, fanning 10 Roosevelt hitters and going into the seventh with a shutout and seeking a complete-game victory.
The Lakers had other ideas. Brandon Richman drew a leadoff walk. Richman would advance to second on a wild pitch and eventually give way to pinch runner Nathan Greene. After back-to-back strikeouts made a Roosevelt rally seem improbable, Brett Sklena worked a free pass from Tilquist to send Burnoski to the plate with two aboard.
Burnoski did not disappoint, hitting a sharp liner into center that dropped for a base hit to drive in the tying run. A misplay by Trininty Christian centerfielder John Pikes allowed the ball to go between his legs and giving Sklena enough time to come home with the game-ending tally.
Burnoski and Ryan Pacyga each finished with two hits.
Radz gave up Trinity Christian's only run on a third-inning sacrifice fly. He escaped bases-loaded trouble in the top of the seventh by inducing an inning-ending groundout to second that proved crucial to the Lakers' comeback.
Game One: Trinity Christian 3, Roosevelt 1 (10 Innings)
Roosevelt received a quality start from Alex Van Ness, but Trinity Christian pitcher Danny Britt turned in a dominant 16-strikeout, 10-inning complete-game masterpiece to ground the Lakers and allow the Trolls to capitalize on the Green and White's extra-inning miscues to take a 3-1 victory in Thursday's opener.
Trinity Christian struck first on Pikes' RBI single in the third, but Roosevelt responded by in its half of the inning when Greene tripled and eventually scored on Britt's wild pitch.
That is all Roosevelt could manufacture against the Trolls' 6-foot-5 right-hander, as Britt sat down 16 Lakers and faced more than four batters in an inning just once during the day.
The fateful frame occurred in the 10th, when Peter Krygsheld hit what seemed to be a harmless grounder back to pitcher Liam Pegg for the inning's second out. But Pegg made an errant throw that escaped the reach of Pacyga at first base, allowing Krygsheld to advance to second.
Pegg hit Pikes and got Bill Miller to ground out to second, putting a pair in scoring position with two away. Peter Cupery stepped to the dish and hit a tough grounder to Richman at third that he was able to beat out for a hit, and Richman's throw escaped Pacyga at first, giving both Krygsheld and Pikes enough time to score the go-ahead and insurance runs.
Roosevelt committed three errors in the 10th and four during the game.
Britt gave up just a single to Burnoski in the bottom of the 10th and made it a complete-game victory with his 16th K to end the contest.
Roosevelt heads to Mayfield, Kentucky to play Judson in a three-game set that begins on Friday.
