By WJBC Staff
NORMAL – The Normal CornBelters gave up the tying run in the ninth inning and the go-ahead run in the tenth as they dropped the series opener to the River City Rascals 3-2 at the Corn Crib Tuesday night.
Kyle Gaedele put the Rascals on the board first in the top of the first inning with a line drive home run to left. That was followed by a single to center from Alexi Colon, but he would be caught stealing to end the first.
The score would remain 1-0 in favor of the Rascals for seven innings. The CornBelters got on the board and took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the seventh after Dylan Kelly singled and was brought in with a two-run blast from Nolan Meadows.
The tides turned in the top of the ninth with two outs with a solo homerun from Griff Gordon off of reliever Race Parmenter to tie everything up at 2-2.
In the Belters ninth inning, Dillon Haupt led off with a walk and was replaced by pinch runner Mitch Elliott. A single from Dylan Kelly put runners on first and second, and Perucki advanced the runners to second and third on a groundout. Both runner were stranded in scoring position and the game headed to extra innings.
River City’s Robby Enslen hit a fence-hopping double in the top of the tenth with one out, and was advanced to third from a groundout. Johnny Morales clipped a slow grounder between short and third, scoring Enslen from third on an error for the 3-2 lead. The Belters then went down in order in their tenth frame.
Michael Gunn (2-0) grabbed the win for the Rascals after working a third of an inning and one strikeout and Zac Treece got his sixth save of the season after one inning of work and two strikeouts. Race Parmenter (1-1) recorded the loss with two innings of work, two runs, and two hits.
The series continues Wednesday against the Rascals. Lefthander Max Homick (2-2, 2.39) will take the mound for Normal against River City’s Tim Koons (1-1, 3.00). First pitch is 6:35 p.m at the Corn Crib. Pregame on WJBC.com is 6:20.
