Loggers Sweep Lewis & Clark
 
The Lincoln Land baseball Loggers swept Lewis & Clark Community College on Sunday, winning 7-2 and 8-2 to take the conference series three games to one.  The Loggers (10-9), playing at home for the first time this season, got two strong starting pitching performances from sophomores Ben Hecht and Tyler Borski.
 
In game one, Hecht struggled early but battled to minimize damage.  The Trail Blazers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning when Hecht issued a two out bases loaded walk to lead off man Titus Taylor.  Hecht would then get Jacob Mueller to ground out to end the scoring threat.  The lead would not last long as the Loggers answered with three runs in the bottom half of the inning.  Xavier Collier (3 for 3) led the inning off with a double to deep center.  Matt Sekardi would reach base next on a fielding error by 3rd baseman Drake Hampton.  After a Peyton Minder sacrifice Bunt, Logger center fielder Sam Anderson hit the first pitch he saw for a 3-run home run over the right field fence, the first of his collegiate career.
 
The score remained 3-1 until the 5th inning when Lewis & Clark added another two out run on Hampton's RBI single to right.  The Loggers would again answer in their half of the inning, this time plating four runs to take a 7-2 lead.  Tyler Borski (2 for 4) and Conor White led the inning off with back to back singles.  Borski would score from second base on a fielding error by the Trail Blazer shortstop. Logger catcher Jake Morsch would drive in White with a routine ground ball to first base.  Xavier Collier drove in Hecht with a double down the left field line and Matt Sekardi would score Collier to finish off the rally with a sacrifice fly to center. 
 
Ben Hecht (3-0) would pick up the win, allowing the 2 runs on 5 hits and 5 walks, while striking out 5 in his five full innings of work.  Sophomore Zeke Rowe would close it out, striking out 4 batters in his two innings of work.
 
Game two was more of the same.  Tyler Borski (1-1) gutted through five innings of work in his first pitching start of this season, allowing 1 earned run on 2 hits and 3 walks.  He struck out 4 along the way in earning his first win since 2014.  Freshman Noah Kesselmayer would pick up his first collegiate save by hurling 2 solid innings to finish the game.
 
The Logger offense collected 13 hits in game 2, all of which were singles.  Xavier Collier again led the way going 3 for 4 with a run batted in.  Ben Hecht, Jake Morsch, Peyton Minder, and Sam Anderson all had 2 hits apiece.
 
"I very pleased with the way we played today," coach Riggle said after the games Sunday.  "After dropping game one of the series, the players kicked it in gear to win the next three and take the series.  Our pitching and defense did an outstanding job of eliminating the big innings, and our offense came through with some big hits in key situations."
 
The Loggers will play again at home this coming Wednesday, March 23, when the host Hannibal LaGrange JV.