ROSE HILL, Kan. – On Sunday, the Jets would host Illinois-Springfield for games two and three of the weekend series. Newman would win the first game 9-6 and drop the second game 3-2, losing the series 2-1.
In the first game, Newman would strike first in the bottom of the second inning when
Hayden VanDePol would hit a double to off of the centerfield wall that drove in two runs. In the third inning, Illinois-Springfield would cut the deficit to 2-1. In the bottom half of the third, Newman would extend the lead as
Mitchell Austin would double to centerfield driving two more runs to give the Jets a 4-1 lead. Newman would score again when VanDePol homered to leftfield to extend the Jets lead to four, 5-1.
Illinois-Springfield would tie the game in the top of the 7
th inning with a grand slam. Newman would respond as they would score two in the bottom half of the frame to take the lead back 7-5. The Jets would score two more in the bottom of the eighth with on a solo home run by
Devin Beard and a base loaded walk, making the score 9-5. Illinois-Springfield would score one in the top of the 9
th, but the Jets would hold on for the 9-6 win.
Beard went 2 for 3 with 2 walks and an RBI,
Dalton Dinkel went 3 for 4 with a walk, Austin went 2 for 3 with 2 walks and 3 RBI's and VanDePol went 2 for 4 with a walk and 4 RBI's.
In the second game of the doubleheader, the Jets defense struggled to start the game as they committed three errors in the first three batters. That would help Illinois-Springfield tally three runs in the top of the first. Newman would respond as
Devin Beard would hit his second solo homerun of the day, a pitch after
Tyler Push would be caught stealing, to cut the deficit to 3-1. The game remained 3-1 until the bottom of the sixth inning when
Will Jordan got an RBI single to right field that scored
Aaron Eshelman and cut the Prairie Star lead to 3-2. With the same score in the bottom of the seventh inning and the Jets threatening with runners on first and second,
Zack Hargrove and
Daniel Blake would both strikeout on controversial strike three calls as Illinois Springfield would hold on for the 3-2 win over the Jets.
Newman will be back in action on Saturday, February 22nd as they host Wayne State for a doubleheader starting at 12:00 PM.