The Lincoln Land baseball Loggers (36-18) traveled to Normal, Illinois on Friday to take on the Heartland Hawks in the opening doubleheader of their weekend four game conference series. Heartland entered the series in first place in the MWAC conference with a 40-10 record on the year, and Lincoln Land trailed in third place by four games.
Game one featured a much anticipated pitching matchup between Logger ace Ben Hecht (9-2) and Heartland's top hurler Collin Holderman, who brought an undefeated 8-0 record into the day. The Loggers didn't waste any time as they struck with a quick run in the top of the first inning, another single run in the second, and added two more in the third. After back to back one out walks to Xavier Collier and Conor White (2 for 3), Ben Hecht helped himself as he (3 for 5) singled to center to drive in Collier. Right fielder Sam Anderson scored the second run when he ripped a two out single, then stole second, advanced to third on a throwing error by Heartland catcher Daniel Wasinger, and then scored as the center fielder bobbled the errant throw. Hecht again highlighted the scoring in the third as he pounded a triple to right center that drove in White. Hecht scored on a Holderman error.
The four Logger runs was all Hecht needed as he cruised to pick up his ninth win of the season. The only hiccup Hecht had in the 4-1 victory was a Wasinger solo homerun in the bottom of the eighth inning, one of only five Heartland hits. Hecht would turn the ninth over to Chad Weller for the save, but not before he amassed 13 strikeouts in his eight innings of work.
Heartland rebounded in game two with a 10-5 win to knot the series 1-1. Hawks starting pitcher Kolten Vermillion (9-1) kept the Logger offense in check as he pitched six strong innings to earn the win. He surrendered 3 earned runs, two of them coming on Logger catcher Jake Morsch's (2 for 4) two run home run in the top of the second inning, the third was on a two out balk in the sixth. Vermillion struck out six and walked only one.
The Hawks offense took control of the game as Logger starter Ryan Arnold (7-3) struggled and suffered the loss. Arnold threw only three innings, gave up five runs (4 earned) on six hits, one walk and two strike outs. Heartland had four players with multiple hits. Lead off man Marcus Pingleton led the first inning off with a solo homerun and finished his day going 2 for 4. Collin Holderman was 3 for 4 and also belted a solo homerun, his thirteenth of the season. Conor Sorge and Noah Sadler were both 2 for 3.
Lincoln Land will host Heartland in a double header tomorrow at Claude Kracik field to complete the series and their regular season. Game one is scheduled for 1:00pm.
