Late rallies force split with Marion and Parkway

ROCKFORD - The Marion Local and Parkway ACME teams each used late-inning rallies Monday night to split a doubleheader at Don Black Field.

In the opener, the Flyers scored five runs in the last three innings to rally and post a 5-4 win. In the nightcap, a make up from earlier in the season, the Panthers scored twice in the sixth and three times in the seventh to a post a 5-4 win.

Game one saw the Flyers score four times in the fifth to rally from a 1-0 deficit. Jace Homan led off with an infield single and Trevor Winner reached when his sacrifice bunt attempt was bobbled by Parkway pitcher Chad Shellabarger. After a ground ball by Jared Prenger forced Homan at third, Nathan Thobe tied the game with a base hit to left.

Jarren Griesdorn then had the big hit of the inning as he doubled to the gap in left-centerfield to plate two runs making the score 3-1. Jason Wolters then made the score 4-1 on an RBI bounce out to short.

Marion Local added an important insurance run in the sixth as Tyler Thobe singled, went to second on a sacrifice by Homan and scored on Winners' single.

"We have done a good job of putting the bat on the ball all season," said Marion coach Jay Thobe. "It seems that whenever we have someone up there, they have been making contact with the ball. This game is not rocket science, the key is just hitting the ball."

Parkway, which was held to just one run and five hits over the first six frames by Flyer starter Justin Wolters, finally broke through in the bottom of the seventh. Cole Hamrick doubled with one out and scored on a single by Grant Gray to make the score 5-2.

Taylor Bates then doubled to left, his third double of the game, to make the score 5-3. Coach Thobe then brought on Tyler Thobe to pitch, but the new hurler promptly gave up an RBI double to Grant Ripley making the score 5-4.

Thobe then bowed his back and induced Levon Archer to bounce back to the mound for an out and Drew Luginbihl then bounced to short to end the game.

"I thought Justin pitched a very good game," commented coach Thobe. "We coaches thought we might need a pitching change and then Ty came in and gave up a double but he was able to regain his composure and get the out that we needed."

In the second game, Parkway needed to rally twice late in the game to post the win. Trailing 3-1 entering the top of the sixth, Jacob Jackson homered to left to lead off the inning which cut the deficit to 3-2. The Panthers then tied the game as Chad Shellabarger reached base on a wild pitch on strike three and then went to second on a bunt single by Taylor Garwood before scoring when Ripley's sacrifice attempt was thrown away by pitcher Troy Prenger.

Marion Local regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth as Troy Prenger doubled with one out and then scored all the way from second on a bunt single by Homan.

Joe Dellinger started the Parkway rally in the seventh with a double to rightfield and went to third on a single by Archer. Coach Thobe then brought on Monte Imwalle to face Luginbihl who singled to center tying the score. After Jackson walked to load the bases, Imwalle was called for a balk allowing Archer to score the go-ahead run.

The rally by the Panthers rewarded Jarred Bourelle, who had a good pitching outing on the mound. Bourelle allowed seven hits and four earned runs in garnering the complete-game win. Bourelle walked just two, striking out five.

"I was really proud of the way the guys battled back and were able to get the win in the second game," said Parkway coach John Archer. "We struggled hitting early, but we never gave in, kept battling and I am proud of them for sticking in there.

"Jarred pitched well tonight and he has been pitching well all season long," continued Archer. "He is very efficient, throwing strikes and he keeps the defense on its toes."

"Troy got a little tired there in the seventh and we brought Monty in and they still continued to make contact," said coach Thobe. "There is not much you can do about that last inning, you hope you can get them out but it just did not happen."