MOUNT VERNON – Right-handed ace
Kole Hinrichsen recorded a career-high 13 strikeouts in Game 1 and the Rams rallied from a four-run deficit in Game 2 to notch a 5-2, 11-9 Midwest Conference-opening baseball sweep over Illinois College Friday night at Ash Park Field.
Coach
Robbie Dombrowski came away with his first two home wins with the Rams, who improved to 9-5 overall, 2-0 in the MWC. Game 3 of the series with Illinois College (4-13 overall, 0-2 MWC) is tentatively set for 2:30 p.m. Saturday in Mount Vernon.
Hinrichsen (3-1), fresh off a one-hit shutout win March 16, was once again in total control on the mound. The senior allowed five singles and two runs over 7.1 innings while walking only two.
Hinrichsen bumped his career strikeout total to 164, ranking No. 4 on Cornell's all-time list. He has 39 strikeouts over 24.1 innings this spring.
Patrick Montagna worked 1.2 innings scoreless innings in relief to earn the Game 1 save, his second of the season.
The Rams capitalized on five Illinois College errors in the opener, which they led 3-2 going into the bottom of the eighth.
Drew Logel executed a squeeze bunt to bring home
Seth Beals and
James Kent scored later on the play to give Cornell a three-run cushion.
Colin Gierula went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Beals scored twice.
Kent carried a hot bat in the nightcap, going 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and three RBIs. The Rams trailed 8-4 before charging back with seven runs in their final three at-bats.
Kent's RBI double keyed a three-run sixth frame that brought the Rams within 8-7.
Darren Mancke delivered a clutch, two-out, two-run double in the seventh that pushed Cornell ahead 9-8.
Vince Zipperer, who scored three times in the game, added an RBI single in the inning.
Winning pitcher
Jake Schope was tough over 4.2 innings in relief, enabling Cornell's comeback. The senior struck out eight, improving his season record to 2-1.
Carter Kriegel worked a perfect ninth inning for his second save of the year.
Logel finished with two hits and Gierula drove in two.
