Team News

 

It was if the Hounds were watching a replay of Saturday’s loss to Joliet. Everything was going fine and dandy until the eighth inning. The Hounds started out the game working from behind, down 2-0 after four innings of play. Right when the Hounds jumped back into the mix and tied it up at 2-2 in the fifth, the Snipes answered with three more runs in the bottom half of the inning to go up 5-2. Then in the seventh, the ball started rolling in the Hounds favor. DuPage tied it up at five, then plated three more in the eighth to go up 7-5. However, like the Admirals the previous day, the Snipes refused to lie down. The hot-hitting Snipes managed to put up a whopping nine runs in the bottom half of the eighth after 11 Lexington batters found a way to reach base. Now up 14-7, the Snipes finished the Hounds off in the ninth after surrendering only one run and taking the ballgame by a final of 14-8.

 

For the Hounds, Dustin Krob led off for the fourth straight game and reached base twice in his five trips on a walk and single. Joe Duncan hit second in the order and also reached base twice on two walks.

 

The everyday cleanup man Shane Carrier went one for four at the plate with a two-run RBI single. He also reached base an additional time via the walk. Ryan Fitzgerald continues to make a late push to be the MVP of the Midwest Collegiate League after going two for four with a single and a two-run homerun. Also, after today’s performance, Fitzgerald has now extended his hit streak to an impressive 12 games.

 

Richie Gorski has developed a nice six-game hit streak of his own after going one for four with a solo homerun. Newcomer Gio Schmidt reached base twice in his five chances on a walk and a single. He also stole his first bag of the season. 

 

Billy Hayes took on all nine innings behind the plate today and also reached base twice on a walk and a single. He also drove in a Hounds’ run on a sac fly. Emerson Misch continues his offensive production after going one for four at the plate with a single. 

 

Even though Hounds’ pitching gave up 14 runs in Sunday’s contest, you cannot fault the pitchers for doing so. All four pitchers that threw Sunday are everyday position players who were forced to pitch due to all of the injuries that have occurred as of late to DuPage’s regular staff. Luckily, the Hounds have developed a nice cushion atop the MCL, so they can afford to save their key pitchers for the playoffs and save those arms by throwing regular position players.

 

Trent Carrier was the first player to throw for DuPage and he went the first four and one thirds innings in which he gave up five runs on nine hits while striking out two. Next up was Joe Duncan who came on for the first time this year. He did an excellent job in his one and two thirds innings of work, allowing no runs on one hit while striking out two. Shane Carrier followed Duncan and gave up six runs, three of which were earned, on six hits while striking out two in one and one thirds innings. Finally, Gio Schmidt finished out the eighth and allowed three runs on three hits in two thirds of an inning.

 

For Lexington, Chris Maranto was one of the offensive heroes after going four for six with three singles, a double and two RBIs. Cale Robinson also tore it up as he drove in six runs on a single, double and a homerun. Neal Tyrell also had three hits that all came in the form of singles. Tyler Horchem was two for three with a single and a double. Owen Miller, Tanner Russell, Cully Day and Jason Priest all reached base once on singles. Finally, Dion Thompson drove in a run on a sac fly. 

 

The Hounds finally got to Lexington starter Reid Birlingmair after he has tormented Hounds’ batters all season. He gave up five runs on five hits while striking out five through his six and one thirds innings of work. Kody Silverthorn went the next inning and a third, allowing two runs on one hit. Kolton Vermillion threw the final inning in which he gave up one run on two hits.

 

The Hounds next contest will be Tuesday, July 28th at 5:00 PM (CT) against the Joliet Admirals at Wayne L. King Junior Field. The Hounds currently lead that season series six games to two. DuPage’s first place lead in the MCL is now down to two and a half games with four games left to play in the regular season.