Team News

The DuPage County Hounds capped a disastrous road trip with back-to-back doubleheader losses to the Lexington Snipes. The Hounds’ comeback came short in game one, 7-6, while the Snipes turned High Desert Field into a hit desert for DuPage, winning 5-1 in game two.

In the first game, DuPage County (17-8) fell victim to Midwest Collegiate League rules that stipulate when two teams play each other twice in a day, games may go seven innings instead of nine. The Hounds were on the comeback trail, having scored six runs in their last four innings, before running out of outs.

Down 7-1 after four frames, the Hounds got three back in the top of the 5^th. Richie Gorski and Drew Sterioti led off with singles, and Emerson Misch drew a walk to load the bases. Gorski scored on a wild pitch two batters later, and Connor Kopach singled home the second. Drew LaComb’s RBI fielder’s choice made it a 7-4 deficit.

Frankie Perrone smashed an opposite-field home run to make it 7-5 in the top of the 6^th. LaComb followed with his own solo homer in the 7^th, but the Snipes clung to their one-run lead and finished off the Hounds in the short-inning affair.

Brian Lees drove in DuPage’s first run of the game with an RBI single in the 4^th.

Nick Martin picked up the loss in game one, allowing three runs in three-plus innings. Trent Carrier finished the game but allowed four more runs, all in the 4^th. The proverbial nail in the coffin came that inning on a three-run homer by Eric Phillis.

Brett Fanning earned the win for Lexington (16-10), allowing five runs over six innings. Kyle Jenkins managed the first two outs of the 7^th, while Josh Tonozzi struck out Perrone to pick up the save.

In the second game, Snipes starter Mitch Vigrin kept the Hounds frustrated for six innings, allowing a single run on three hits for the W.

DuPage fell behind early as Nick Alfini surrendered a run in the 1^st, but Drew LaComb’s RBI double in the 2^nd plated Richie Gorski to make it 1-1. The wheels fell off again in the bottom of the 2^nd, as two errors by Gorski at third base led to two unearned Lexington runs.

Alfini exited after 2.1 innings of work, and Tyler Hasper allowed two more runs over his 1.2 frames. Patrick Bellinger tossed two scoreless innings in the 5^th and 6^th.

Connor Kopach doubled in the back end of the twin bill, finishing the two games a combined 4-7 with a run, RBI, and stolen base.

The doubleheader sweep capped a very busy holiday weekend for the Snipes, who yesterday hosted the Joliet Admirals for two games and the continuation of another. The Purple Ones posted a 4-1 record over those five decisions.

The two losses cap a disappointing week and a half for the Hounds, who lost five of six games on the road after winning an MCL-record eight in a row. A silver lining for Coach Sean Osborne and company is that of DuPage’s 14 remaining games (excluding potential makeups), nine of them will be at home.

The Dog Pound-heavy schedule begins on Tuesday evening as the Hounds look for revenge against the Snipes at 7:00. All home games are broadcast online and feature the commentating duo of Will DeBoer and Jeff Ohmer.