CEDAR RAPIDS – One strike away from claiming a three-game sweep, Illinois College foiled the plans with a 4-3 comeback win over the Rams in Midwest Conference baseball action Saturday afternoon at Prospect Meadows.
 
Cornell settled for a 2-1 series win, after beating the Blueboys twice Friday in Mount Vernon. The Rams moved to 9-6 overall, 2-1 in the MWC.
 
The Rams scored all of their runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, grabbing a 3-0 lead following an RBI single from Seth Beals and a two-out, two-run hit from James Kent.
 
Illinois College (5-13 overall, 1-2 MWC) cut the margin to 3-1 on a solo homer in the eighth, and then mounted a two-out rally with nobody on base in the top of the ninth. Two singles, sandwiched by a stolen base, brought the Blueboys within 3-2.
 
Leadoff hitter Peyton Phillis then put the Blueboys ahead 4-3 with a two-strike, two-run homer that proved to be the difference.
 
Cornell had two runners on base in the bottom of the ninth, when the Blueboys escaped the jam with a game-ending fielder's choice ground ball.
 
The Rams were limited to three hits for the game, singles by Vince Zipperer, Beals and Kent.
 
Starting pitcher Will Miller threw three scoreless innings before handing the ball to Preston Wright, who surrendered only one run and three hits over five innings. Patrick Montagna (2-1) came on in the ninth and was dealt his first loss of the season.
 
Coming up – The Rams continue MWC play Wednesday with a 4 p.m. home doubleheader against in-state rival Grinnell at Ash Park Field.