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Box Score 2 CRESTWOOD, Ill. – Roosevelt showed off its flair for the dramatic with a pair of wins over Judson on Tuesday in a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader at Ozinga Field.
The day began with the resumption of the April 11 contest that began at Judson but was then suspended due to darkness with the Lakers leading 8-6 in the bottom of the fourth. Roosevelt was able to escape the inning with a one-run lead then allowed a game-tying single in the bottom of the seventh before rallying for a 9-8 win in 10 innings. The Lakers (24-16, 13-11 CCAC) then followed with the regularly-scheduled contest and scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth to walk off with a 6-5 win over the Eagles.
Jack Toenjes was the ultimate hero of the second game with his walk-off single to right field with the bases loaded and one out. However, it was a team effort to put the right fielder in the position to secure the sweep for the Lakers. Bryce Hayman began the bottom of the ninth by getting plunked then Diego Munoz singled into left field for his fourth hit of the game. Sean Blanchard followed with a hit of his own to load the bases before Hunter Darst tied the game by drawing a bases-loaded walk. Sherman Martin struck out swinging before Toenjes delivered the winning hit that also solidified the Lakers a spot in the CCAC Tournament next week in Joliet.
There were several swings of momentum in the second game of the day after Judson jumped on Connor Houlahan for three runs in the first two innings. Although the righty allowed just two hits in 6.2 innings, he issued three of his four walks in the first inning and threw a pair of wild pitches, the second of which allowed the game's first run to score. Houlahan hit back-to-back batters to start the second inning, the first of which came around to score on a sacrifice fly, but that was the last trouble he faced. The freshman retired the Eagles in order in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings before being replaced after plunking a hitter with two outs in the seventh.
Roosevelt had chances to answer in the second inning when Darst opened the inning with a walk then Martin was hit by a pitch. Both runners advanced 90 feet on a balk, but the Lakers struck out twice and grounded back to the pitcher with a pair of runners in scoring position with no outs.
The Lakers finally got the offensive train flowing in the fifth inning with four runs on five hits to take the lead for the first time in the game. Three of the first four Lakers to come to the plate in the bottom of the fifth hit singles to load the bases with one out. Munoz then smacked a single to center field to drive in the first run then Blanchard added an RBI groundout before Darst delivered a two-run single to take the lead.
Judson scored twice in the top of the eighth with some two-out magic to reclaim the lead then held off Roosevelt after the Lakers loaded the bases in the bottom of the frame. The Eagles managed just a two-out single in the ninth to set up the fireworks from the Lakers in the bottom of the inning. The final two innings were good for the health of the Roosevelt pitching staff with Krzysztof Solis and Omar Abuelhija making their first appearances since suffering injuries early in conference play.
Munoz finished the second game 4 for 5 with an RBI and two runs scored while Darst was 2 for 3 with two RBIs and two walks. Toenjes was the only other Lakers player with multiple hits in the second game despite Roosevelt maintaining a 13-6 advantage in hits over Judson.
In the continuation of the April 11 game, Judson began the day Tuesday by singling in the runner on third base to cut the Roosevelt deficit to 8-7 before Noah Mathias, the CCAC Pitcher of the Week, retired the Eagles in order. The Lakers almost added to the lead after Luca Paolucci led off the fifth with a triple, but he was thrown out after a ground ball to second base two batters later. Roosevelt would load the bases with two outs in the fifth as well, but could not convert.
Roosevelt also came close to scoring in the seventh after Hayman's lead off single to left field. Toenjes laid down the sacrifice bunt to advance the runner then Hayman stole third, but again he was left 90 feet away with the insurance run. Judson would tie the game in the bottom half of the inning on a sacrifice fly then neither team threatened in the eighth or ninth innings.
Munoz began the 10th with a single then pinch runner Jesus Gomez was moved to second on a Darst sacrifice bunt. Blanchard put runners on the corners with an infield single, setting up Jaylen Heard to deliver the tiebreaking single up the middle to give the Lakers the lead. A subsequent wild pitch put runners on second and third with one out for Roosevelt, but a pair of strikeouts ended the inning.
Connor Collins navigated around a leadoff walk and one-out single to seal his third win of the season. He finished with six strikeouts and a walk in three innings on the mound, allowing the infield single as his only hit in the game. Roosevelt's pitchers struck out 10 Judson batters after the game resumed Tuesday and allowed just four hits in the final seven innings of the contest.
Roosevelt rounds out the regular season Friday with the opener of a three-game series with Indiana University South Bend at Ozinga Field starting at 6 p.m. Prior to the game, the Lakers will honor the 2023 senior class with their annual Senior Day festivities starting at 5:15 p.m.
