Lakers Late-Night Rally Falls Short Against IU South Bend

JOLIET, Ill. – Roosevelt's late-night rally fell just short Saturday in an 8-7 loss against Indiana University South Bend in the championship bracket of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament at Duly Health and Care Field in Joliet.

The seventh-seeded Lakers (26-18) will venture into the consolation bracket final for a rematch against No. 3 St. Xavier on Monday at 10 a.m. back in Joliet. If Roosevelt prevails, it would set up a second chance against fifth-seeded Indiana South Bend at 1 p.m. with the hopes of forcing a deciding game Tuesday night against the Titans.

As they have all tournament long, the Lakers jumped out quickly against the Titans and put up four runs before Kerry Zeese even threw a pitch. Daniel Gutierrez started the party with a double down the left-field line that ended up in the corner. Diego Munoz shot a single up the middle then Sean Blanchard found a hole in the defense and scored Gutierrez on an infield single.

Sherman Martin blooped a single into right field to load the bases before Hunter Darst wore a pitch on his shoulder to force in another run. Jaylen Heard drew a four-pitch walk with the bases loaded, forcing a pitching change from Indiana South Bend, before Jack Toenjes completed the scoring with a sacrifice fly to right field.

The top of the lineup struck again for a run in the top of the third as Gutierrez delivered an RBI single into left field with two outs. Roosevelt would load the bases when Munoz was hit by a pitch, but the threat was neutralized on a check swing pop up off Blanchard's bat for the final out.

Zeese did allow the Titans to scratch across a run in the first on a pair of doubles then pitched a perfect second inning with a pair of strikeouts. However, the Lakers defense let down its pitcher as Zeese allowed seven runs on just six hits, but just four of those runs were earned. In total, the Lakers committed five errors in the field and four of the eight runs Indiana South Bend scored were unearned.

Darst was called for catcher's interference for the first error of the game in the third inning, allowing the Titans to eventually load the bases for a game-tying grand slam. Indiana South Bend left the third inning with a lead after a misfire from Munoz allowed a runner to reach base and the runner from third to score with two outs.

In the fourth inning, Munoz made an excellent play to stop a hot grounder, but he bobbled the exchange from the glove while trying to turn a double play and allowed both runners to reach. Two batters later, the Titans added a run on a sacrifice fly to take a 7-5 lead. Indiana South Bend tacked on another run in the fifth when Toenjes dropped the third out in right field while battling the pouring rain that arrived in Joliet, which allowed the runner from second to scoot home.

After an hour-long weather delay, Roosevelt started its comeback in the top of the sixth after Munoz was hit with a pitch yet again. Martin was hit by another pitch two batters later then Darst delivered a single into right field to plate Munoz. In the eighth inning, Martin was part of the craziest play of the day after lining what should have simply been a two-out single into center field. However, the Titans outfielder misplayed the bounce and the ball rolled on the turf all the way to the wall, allowing Martin to hustle around the bases to score on the error.

Roosevelt only found itself in a position to tie the game in the ninth thanks to a remarkable relief outing from Connor Collins, who threw 94 pitches in 3 2/3 innings. The junior lefty made more than enough trouble for himself with six walks, but he allowed just the unearned run on Toenjes' error and didn't surrender a hit while striking out eight. Omar Abuelhija struck out three of the four batters he faced after replacing Collins in the eighth inning to set up the comeback.

Heard drew a walk to lead off the ninth inning then Toenjes did his job to advance pinch runner Jack Kieffer with a sacrifice bunt. Jojo Mack just missed on a fastball and popped up to the first baseman in foul territory then Bryce Hayman was just beaten to the bag at first on a grounder to the first baseman, ending the game.