Lakers Score Late To Sweep Eagles In CCAC Twinbill

ELGIN, Ill. – Roosevelt left it until late, but came away with an important sweep of Judson in a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader Tuesday in Elgin.

The Lakers (24-20, 15-13 CCAC) scored three runs in the top of the seventh to rally for a 10-9 win in the first game. Roosevelt then exploded for nine runs in the ninth to pull away for a 14-4 win in the second game after trailing entering the eighth inning.

It took a few innings for the bats to warm up for Roosevelt in the opener, but when the Lakers started to hit, the runs came in bunches. Judson took a 2-0 lead into the third inning before Roosevelt scored six times on six hits to take a massive lead in the game. Kekoa Ogawa launched a three-run homer to take the lead just four batters into the frame then three of the next four batters singled to load the bases. Ben Compton drew a bases-loaded walk and Sammy Estrada smacked a single into center field to drive in two more runs.

Ogawa and James Berry hit consecutive doubles in the fourth inning to add onto the lead, but the advantage was not safe enough. The Eagles scored three runs in the fifth inning and four more in the sixth to take a 9-7 lead into the top of the final inning. Yet before Judson even recorded the first out of the seventh inning, the Lakers had already tied the game.

Jack Kieffer began the inning with a single and Luis Delgado immediately smashed a double to bring him home. Jojo Mack singled to score pinch runner Luca Paolucci then Compton singled to put runners on the corner. Sebastian Casillas followed up a fielder's choice with a double that allowed Compton to score, giving the Lakers the 10-9 lead. Ogawa then pitched a perfect bottom of the seventh for his fifth save of the season.

The second game stayed scoreless until the fourth inning when Kieffer hit a sacrifice fly to right field to give the Lakers the early edge. Judson responded with a run in the fifth inning then Delgado hit another sacrifice fly to right to give Roosevelt a 2-1 lead. The Eagles scored three in the bottom of the frame and another sacrifice fly, this time from Berry, in the seventh only brought the Lakers to within one with six outs remaining.

Estrada took care of the deficit with a two-run homer in the eighth inning to give Roosevelt a 5-4 lead, but the Lakers made sure the game was out of reach in the ninth. They sent 12 batters to the plate in the top of the ninth, scoring nine times on seven hits along with a walk and a hit by pitch.

Bryce Hayman started the frame with a double and Ogawa scored him with a single. Berry doubled and Kieffer was beaned to bring up Delgado, who demolished the pitch for a grand slam. Estrada walked, stole second then scored on a Casillas single into center field. Hayman launched a two-run homer and Ogawa blasted a solo shot to round out the scoring.

Roosevelt will conclude its regular season with a four-game series against Indiana South Bend with seeding in the CCAC Tournament on the line. The Lakers will travel to Indiana on Friday for a doubleheader then will host the Titans at Ozinga Field on Saturday for Senior Day. The pregame festivities will begin at 12:15 p.m. with first pitch for the doubleheader Saturday scheduled for 1 p.m.