Ball Goes 4 for 4 in Loss at SWIC; Chargers Draw Black Hawk to Begin Postseason

BELLEVILLE — Mitch Ball (East Peoria, Ill./East Peoria) homered as part of a 4-for-4 game, but the Carl Sandburg College baseball team dropped a 13-10 decision at Southwestern Illinois on Monday in a nine-inning game. 

Southwestern Illinois 13, Sandburg 10
Sandburg         003      001      042      —        10        12        6
SWIC               011      070      04x      —        13        11        1
L: Jason Hise 1.1 IP, 0 K, 1 BB

KEY MOMENT
The Chargers (25-20) led 3-2 before a five-run fifth inning gave the Blue Storm a lead they wouldn't relinquish. SWIC sent 11 hitters to the dish and took advantage of four singles, a walk, a hit batsman and two Sandburg errors in the inning.

SANDBURG STANDOUT
Ball, the reigning NJCAA Division II Player of the Week, reached base in all five of his plate appearances, scored four times and finished a triple shy of the cycle. The Chargers center fielder walked in the first; crushed a three-run homer in the third for a 3-2 Sandburg lead; doubled and scored in the sixth; singled and scored in the eighth; and singled and scored again in the ninth. Ball also stole his 10^th base of the season in 10 attempts. He now has a team-leading 13 homers on the year.

OTHER TOP CHARGERS
• Chase Mason (Washington, Ill./Washington) — 2 for 4, walk, two runs, stolen base
• Jack Shields (Peoria Heights, Ill./Notre Dame) — 2 for 5, run, four RBIs

CHARGERS DRAW BLACK HAWK TO OPEN POSTSEASON
Sandburg earned the fifth seed in the North Central District Division II tournament and will travel to face No. 4 seed Black Hawk in a best-of-three sectional series that starts Friday.

Games 1 and 2 will be played at noon and 3 p.m. Friday in Moline. If necessary, Game 3 will take place at noon Saturday at Black Hawk. The winner advances to the Region IV Division II finals May 19-21, which will be hosted by the highest seed of the four remaining teams.

The Chargers and Braves split four games against each other during the regular season, with each sweeping a doubleheader on their home field. This marks the third time in the last four postseasons Sandburg and Black Hawk have faced each other in the sectional round.

UP NEXT FOR SANDBURG
6 p.m. Tuesday at Heartland (9 innings)

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