CornBelters hold down Slammers in victory

Posted on July 22, 2015

Jim Vahalik homered and drove in four runs in Normal’s 5-0 win over Joliet on Tuesday. (Photo by Brian Hymer)

By Greg Halbleib

NORMAL – The Normal CornBelters were aided by a home run to take the lead early on Tuesday night in a 5-0 win over the Joliet Slammers at the Corn Crib.

The Belters scored first when catcher Jim Vahalik hit a three-run homer to the left field berm in the second inning, bringing in both Sam Judah and Cameron Monger.

The CornBelters increased their lead in the fourth inning when Ozney Guillen singled and scored on two errors to increase the lead to 4-0.

Slammers starter Adam Panayotovich (0-1) was pulled from the mound in the sixth inning. Panayotovich threw five and two-thirds innings allowing eight hits, one home run, four walks and two strikeouts.

Newly acquired Belters starter Rob Blanc (1-4) came off of the bump in the seventh inning. Blanc threw a one-hitter through six innings with three walks and two strikeouts.

Third baseman Richard Lucas padded the Belters lead with a solo home run to straightaway centerfield in the seventh inning for the final scoring.

Chandler Jagodzinski pitched the final three innings for his first save while giving up the only other Slammers hit.

The first-place Belters (32-23) will face off with the Slammers (22-33) in game two of this three game series on Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. Starting pitchers are to be determined. Broadcast time on WJBC.com is 6:20.

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