SOFTBALL: Falcons 3rd at ASA Wood Bat State

The Pinckneyville Falcons were in good position to contend for an ASA Wood Bat state title this past weekend, but dropped two games in a row on Sunday to fall to third place. The Belleville Stallions knocked off Altamont 4-0 in the championship game to earn the first place trophy.

"Our offense was better up here this year but we still stranded too many base runners where runs don't come easy," said Hayden Hicks, who handled the coaching duties with player-coach Eric Saunders unavailable for the weekend. "We still need to improve defensively and our pitchers need to be aggressive and work ahead in the count."

Pinckneyville started their state tournament with a 4-2 win over Altamont Grobie Flooring as Bryant Hale picked up the pitching victory with seven innings of work and two earned runs allowed on five hits and three walks with three strikeouts. The Falcons grabbed the lead in the fifth inning on a two-run homer by Drew Dudek (1-2, HR, 2 RBI), who had six hits, two home runs and seven RBIs in the tournament.

"Drew had a great tournament," Hicks said. "He came through with some big hits."

Hicks (1-3, HR, RBI), Bryant Shute (2-4), Daniel Eisenhauer (1-3), Garrick Hale (1-3) and John Kiselewski (1-3) had the rest of Pinckneyville's hits in their tournament opener.

After rain washed out a good portion of Saturday's action, the Falcons returned at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday to face Koerner Miller Lite and took advantage of ten walks on their way to a 7-2 victory. Troy Downen tossed a two-hitter in the circle, allowing one earned run and a walk with seven Ks. Dudek had another big game, finishing 3-for-4 with a homer and four runs driven in.

In the winners bracket final at 9:30 a.m., the Stallions picked up a 7-5 win over the Falcons when Pinckneyville stranded the potential tying run in the seventh inning. Downen gave up four earned runs on six hits in three and two-thirds innings to take the loss. Shute (2-4, RBI), Eisenhauer (1-3, HR, 2 RBI), Hicks (2-4, HR, RBI), Kiselewski (2-2, HR, RBI), Steve Linton (1-2) and Alan Engelhardt (1-3) hit safely for the Falcons.

A disappointing 5-4 loss to Altamont followed, as the Falcons let a 4-2 lead in the seventh inning slip away after a single, a walk, and a three-run walk-off home run. Downen took the loss, facing only the final hitter of the game. Hale went six innings and allowed two earned runs on three hits and two walks with three strikeouts.

"It was a tough way to end the tourney but we need to turn the page quickly for the biggest tourney of the year," said Hicks. "We'll be ready to go Friday night. "

Shute (3-4), Dudek (2-4, RBI), Kiselewski (3-3, RBI), Linton (2-3, RBI), G. Hale (1-2, RBI), Matt Mason (1-2) and Derek Beninati (1-3) had hits for Pinckneyville.

The Falcons play in the ASA Open State Tournament beginning this Friday night at 8:45 against Donnewald Budweiser in Forsyth, Ill.