Burlington Hits Two Grand-Slams in Run-Rule Victory

Springfield, IL - It was a grand-slam derby July 10 at Robin Roberts Stadium. The Burlington Bees (18-18, 6-4) hit two bases-loaded homers in a 16-6 victory over the Springfield Lucky Horseshoes (10-26, 2-8) .

The game ended in seven-innings due to the run-rule. It is the Bees second straight mercy-rule victory. The team has won three straight. 

Owen Nowak (McHenry) and Caleb Seibers (SCC) both hit a grand-slam a piece. Every single starter scored at least once.

The offense was jump-started in the first on three walks. Cole Yearsley (Winthrop), Jeremy Figueroa (Mount Mercy) and Kooper Schulte (Iowa) all worked a free-pass. Nowak followed with his second homer of the season to make it 4-0.

The Bees tacked on two in the third. Schulte singled and stole second to start the inning. Nowak doubled to bring him home. He finished with 6 RBI on the game and has 14 on the season. 

Danny Rollins (Murray State) reached second on a fielder's choice. An infield single moved him to third and he scored on a wild pitch.

Burlington's offense's big moment was in the fifth when the team scored seven runs. Schulte walked and Nowak was hit by a pitch to commence the frame. The Bees were hit by eight pitches in the game. 

Caleb Seibers (Olney Central) loaded the bases on a sacrifice bunt that he reached on. Rollins was hit by a pitch to score one. 

Klein came up with the bases still full and crushed one over the left field scoreboard. It was his first homer of the season. 

The top of the Bees order loaded the bases on a walk and a pair of hits by pitches. Keanu Spenser (Hawaii-Pacific) was struck by a pitch to bring home another. 

Nowak scored the innings seventh run on a sacrifice fly. 

After the 'Shoes scored four in the bottom of the inning, the Bees enacted the run-rule with a three run seventh inning. 

Corey Boyette (Lipscomb) and Spenser were both hit to put a pair on. Schulte struck a double to the wall in centerfield to bring both of them home. 

Seibers hit into a sacrifice fly to bring home the team's 16th run.

Blake Gaskey (Ohio) got the victory. The righty allowed six runs over five innings.

Ethan McDonald (Eureka) tossed a scoreless final two frames. He struck out two.

The two teams face off again July 11 at 6:30 p.m. It is the final leg of Burlington's six-game road trip.