Wasted chances haunt SWIC in loss to SE Illinois College

Two days after a 21-run scoring binge, the booming bats of the Southwestern Illinois College Blue Storm fell silent once again on Friday.

Southeastern Illinois College pinch hitter Tyler Hicks broke a 4-all tie in the eighth inning with a run-scoring double and the scrappy Falcons held on for a 5-4 win in an NJCAA Region 24 baseball game.

SWIC, which scored 21 runs off the Falcons pitching staff in a 21-10 win on Wednesday, trailed for much of the game. But when freshman Keith Sanders stole home on a delayed double steal in the bottom of the seventh, SWIC (14-13) seemed to have the momentum.

But the Falcons responded in the top of the eighth inning when Sam Waters blooped a single to shallow left field, advanced to second on a bunt and scored when Hicks doubled off Blue Storm starting and losing pitcher Tyler Greene.

SWIC, which had scored 62 runs in its four-game winning streak entering the game, threatened in both the eighth and ninth innings. But when sophomore Luke McCormick retired Collin Holton and Jacob Monti with the potential tying run on second base in the bottom of the ninth, the Blue Storm’s streak was over.

“We had some chances and this is really been the story of our season up this point. We put guys on base but we just can’t get the big two out hits to drive them in. The other day we scored 21 runs, but we also left 10 runners in scoring postiton,” Blue Storm coach Neil Fiala said. “These players just need to start to get a few more clutch hits.”

Key sequence

SWIC led 1-0 following an RBI single by Jake Wilson in the second inning. Greene, a former Mascoutah High School standout, worked into the eighth inning on a cold, windy spring afternoon, found himself in trouble in the top of the third inning as the Falcons put runners on first and third with two outs.

It appeared Greene would get out of the jam when Jacob Vaughn swung and missed at strike three with two outs. However, the pitch got away from Blue Storm catcher Dylan McEwen and the tying run scored from third base.

Five pitches later, Falcons cleanup hitter Dalton Clarke lined a two-run single to give his team a 3-1 lead.

“I thought Tyler (Greene) pitched well. Certainly well enough to win,” Fiala said. “The pitch just got away from the catcher and the tying run scored. If that doesn’t happen, we win the game 4-2.”

Holton and freshman Matt Klosterman drove in the Blue Storm’s other runs.

This story was originally published March 25, 2016 at 3:54 PM with the headline "Wasted chances haunt SWIC in loss to SE Illinois College."