BASEBALL: Late lead slips away from Pinckneyville Jr. Legion
Seven stranded base runners and a pair of double plays late in the ball game burned Pinckneyville in Thursday's 25th District Tournament contest against Campbell Hill, as Post 2504 let a one-run lead slip away in the bottom of the seventh inning, allowing Post 1096 to escape with a 5-4 win in Chester.
The loss spoiled a well-pitched game by Garrett Williams, who went six innings and gave up just five hits and two walks with five strikeouts before leaving with a 4-3 lead.
But after Pinckneyville hit into a double play to end top of the seventh, Campbell Hill took that momentum to the plate against relief pitcher Hunter Clark. A walk to the leadoff man followed by a triple, a base hit, and a hit batter tied the score and loaded the bases. A ground ball to second base was hit just deep enough to plate the winning run for Post 1096.
Post 2504 led most of the way, going up 1-0 in the top of the second on back-to-back doubles by Blaine Schubert and Grant Jausel.
It was 3-0 after the top of the fourth when Tyler Rice doubled home Bradley Kurtz (single) then scored on Schubert's RBI grounder moments later.
Campbell Hill got two runs back in the bottom of that inning on three consecutive singles, then Pinckneyville tacked on an insurance run in the top of the sixth when Jausel walked with the bases loaded. The inning could have been much bigger, however. Isaac Hardin's bunt with the sacks full and nobody out was fielded cleanly by the pitcher, who started a 1-2-3 double play to help Post 1096 escape further damage.
A hit and an error led to a Campbell Hill run in the sixth inning to set up their walk-off win in the seventh.
Kurtz (1-3, R, BB), Rice (1-2, R, RBI, 2B), Schubert (2-3, R, RBI, 2B), Jausel (2-2, 2 RBI, 2B, BB), Kyle Kreger (1-3, HBP) and Kyle Luke (2-4, 2B) had Pinckneyville's eleven hits.
The loss drops Post 2504 into the loser's bracket of the tournament. Pinckneyville will play again on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. in Chester, fighting for their postseason lives. Campbell Hill moves on to face Du Quoin on Friday at 7:30 p.m.