CornBelters register pair of 6-run innings in victory

Posted on September 2, 2016

By WJBC Staff

NORMAL – The Normal CornBelters scored six times in the second and fifth innings to support a complete game from Charlie Gillies in a 12-1 win over the Evansville Otters on Thursday night at the Corn Crib.

The CornBelters opened the scoring in the second inning when Nolan Meadows walked and scored on a triple to the right center field fence by Jacoby Middleton, who came home on a single through the right side by Dylan Kelly. Ty Morris hit a bases-loaded-and-clearing double to the left field corner later in the frame and Aaron Dudley single him home to put the Belters ahead 6-0.

The Belters added to their lead in the fifth inning when Meadows and Middleton scored on the same wild pitch, then Morris, Santiago Chirino and Dudley drew bases-loaded walks followed by a fielder’s choice RBI from Dillon Haupt to double the lead to 12-0.

The Otters’ lone run was a lead-off no-doubt home run in the ninth inning by Jeff Gardner that landed on the sidewalk above the main gate and the right field berm.

Charlie Gillies (6-4) gave up five hits in his second complete-game of the season on two walks with seven strikeouts. Luc Rennie (1-4) took the loss with four and one-third innings, surrendering 11 earned runs on 10 hits, six walks and three strikeouts.

The homestand continues Friday at 6:35 p.m., Saturday at 1 p.m. and Sunday at 4:35 p.m. against the Florence Freedom to conclude the season. Mike Schweiss (7-8, 4.37 ERA) starts on the mound for the Belters while the Freedom start Tony Vocca (3-2, 3.78) in Friday’s opener. The game can be heard live on WJBC.com with pre-game at 6:20.

Post-season All-Stars

The CornBelters landed three players on the Frontier League Post-Season All-Star squad, shortstop Santiago Chirino, first baseman Aaron Dudley and outfielder Nolan Meadows. Dudley was also named the post-season All-Star at first base last season while Chirino earned last year’s post-season honor at shortstop. League-leading Southern Illinois was the only other team with three All-Stars.

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