Burlington Swept in One and a Half Header

Peru, Il - One game took six days to complete, the other took under two hours, as the Burlington Bees (5-14) were swept in a one and a half header against the Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp (14-6) at Schweickert Stadium June 19.

The first game of the set began June 13 and was suspended due to rain amidst a wild Burlington comeback in the top of the fifth coming. The team was trailing 10-1 after the third, before rallying off 10 consecutive to take the lead.

A rapid wave of rain and wind forced the stoppage of the game, which was resumed with a runner on third with two outs in the top of the fifth June 19.

Merrick Mathews (University of Iowa) struck out to begin the second furlough of the game and commenced an intense pitching duel.

David Theriot Jr. (Texas Wesleyan Univ), who was the final pitcher in the June 13th leg of the game, picked up right where he left off and tied the longest outing of any Burlington pitcher this season. The highlight was five consecutive shutout innings with nine strikeouts.

The Bees would not score in the second half of the game and left 11 runners on base. Theriot Jr. allowed two runs in the bottom of the ninth, as Illinois Valley walked off Burlington for the second time this season. The final score was 12-11.

Theriot Jr's final stat line was 6.2 innings with five hits, four runs and two earned runs. This was the longest appearance of his multi-year Bees career.

Mathews and Reese Moore (University of Iowa) both had multi RBI games. Mathews's offensive contribution came from a homerun in the top of the fourth, which stood as his lone hit of the game. Moore was two for four with two walks.

Jace Figuereo (Southeastern CC) scored three times, while having an RBI in a two for five game. Both Boston Halloran (Oakland University) and Cedric Dunnwald (Mt. Mercy University) had two scores.

Jackson Lindquist (Rock Valley College), who played only the June 19th leg of the game due to an injury, went two for two.

This was almost the third time the Bees came back to win from a deficit of five runs or more, but they fell short in the final frame.

The second game took place 30 minutes after the first and was only seven innings. This matchup paralleled the first, as it quickly turned into a pitcher's duel.

Lindquist scored on a throwing error in the top of the first. He followed with his first Bees homerun in the top of the third to put his team up 2-0.

Burlington native Jacob Zahner (Southeastern CC) pitched a magical start, going four innings with no earned runs. Zahner stranded four runners on base, but did give up an unearned run.

He was replaced by Joe Evans (Morton College) who allowed two earned runs to make it 3-2 in the top of the fifth. The two pitches allowed a total of four hits over six innings.

The Bees left the bases loaded in top of the sixth and could not capitalize on a lead-off bunt single from Figuereo in the seventh. The final score was 3-2, as the team is 0-9 on the road this season and 2-5 against Illinois Valley.

Cooper Donlin (Hawaii-Pacific) and Carson Bittner (Phoenix College) had two hits, as three Burlington hitters combined for six of the team's seven hits.

The Bees look to snap their three game losing skid at Community Field. The team faces the Normal Cornbelters (8-11) June 19 at 6:30 p.m. in Throwback Thursday: ERAS Night (Burlington Bees' version) + Jersey Auction+Retro cup giveaway.