Burlington Completes Doubleheader Sweep

Peru IL/Burlington, IA -  It took over 48 hours to finish, but the Burlington Bees (13-13) completed a doubleheader sweep of the Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp (11-13) June 26. 

The first game began at Schweikert Stadium June 24. After getting into the top of the sixth, the game was postponed. Poor weather forced it to be resumed June 26 at Community Field, with Burlington as the designated away team.

With the game tied 3-3 in the sixth inning when it was paused, Burlington rallied to win 6-5. The late inning dramatics continued in game two, with the Bees winning 11-10. 

Both contests were seven innings. 

GAME ONE: 

The Bees wasted no time getting on the scoreboard in Peru. Caleb Klein (SCC) began the game reaching on an error and Miles Risley (Iowa) walked to put two on. Both moved to scoring position on an error.

Mason Schwalbach (Southern Illinois) grounded out to bring home Klein. Kooper Schulte (Iowa) doubled to score Risley. 

Illinois Valley got on the board with a run in the first. 

Risley doubled to kick off the third inning. Corey Boyette (Lipscomb) hit into a flyout to move him to third.

Schwalbach tripled to make it 3-1.

A lightning delay cut Kaelen Clarkson's (Plattsburgh State) start short. The lefty threw two innings with a run allowed. 

Mitchell Cox (Crown College) took over and threw 2.2 innings. He surrendered two earned runs in the fifth.

The game was tied 3-3 in the top of the sixth with Dylan Shepherd (Ohio) on the first.

Upon being resumed in Burlington, Keanu Spenser (Hawaii-Pacific) singled to put runners on the corners.

Caleb Seibers (Olney Central) singled to give the team the lead. Klein flew out to make it 5-3. 

After a shutout sixth inning from Parker Lewin (Minnesota), Boyette homered to kick off the seventh. It was his fourth homer of the year. 

Braeden Sunken (Maryville) took over in the seventh. After giving up two runs, he registered a ground out and strikeout to strand the tying run on base. It was his fourth save of the year. 

Lewin received the win, Caleb Okada got the loss. 

GAME TWO:

The Pistol Shrimp scored three runs on a hit and error in the top of the first

Jace Figuereo (SCC) singled and stole second to start the bottom of the inning. 

Klein moved him to third on a groundout. Boyette walked to put a pair of runners on. 

Schwalbach lined out into the outfield to get his team on the scoreboard. Risley followed with his first triple of the season to pull Burlington within one. 

The team kept their momentum rolling in the second. 

Colin Schmitke (SCC) doubled to open the rally. Danny Rollins (Murray State) singled to continue it.

Ethan McDonald (Eureka) registered a sacrifice bunt to move both runners over. Figuereo loaded the bases on an Illinois Valley error.

Klein came up with his biggest Bee hit. The right fielder cleared the bases on a double. 

After a pitching change, Schwalbach singled to make it 6-3. He finished 1 for 3 with two RBI. 

The Pistol Shrimp scored one in the fourth and three in the fifth to take the lead.

Burlington went hitless in the third, fourth and fifth; however, the team found it in sixth.

Schulte led off the inning with a double. It was his 12th extra base hit of the day. 

A two strike flyout from Schmitke moved him to third. Rollins got his first RBI of the year on a single to tie the game.

Seibers pinch hit with an opportunity to put the Bees back ahead. He hit his first triple of the year to make it 8-7. 

Figuereo was hit by a pitch to put a pair aboard. 

Boyette came up with two outs. The lefty came up in the clutch again, crushing a three run bomb over the fence. He has hit five home runs since June 13. 

Sunken came in again with two aboard. He held on to give Burlington a 11-10 victory for his fifth save of the year. The righty got his second save of the day.

Shawn Scott (Austin Peay) got the win. Jared Herzog clocked the loss. 

Illinois Valley returns home to face off against LaFayette (14-10) tomorrow. Burlington stays home, facing off against the Quincy Doggy Paddlers (8-14) at 6:30 p.m. to conclude the first half.