Tremont pitcher Jaycee Craver tossed a no-hitter and the hosts opened the IHSA Class 2A Tremont Regional play with a 12-0, five-inning victory over Deer Creek-Mackinaw on Tuesday afternoon. Craver (17-0) allowed just two baserunners — a walk and an error — in striking out six. The sophomore needed just 63 pitches, and a ball never left the infield. Rachel Patterson (3-for-3, double, three RBIs) gave Craver some run support with a first-inning, two-run homer. Jill Runyon’s two-RBI single highlighted the three-run second. In the third, Kali Sanders hit a three-run homer as a part of the six-run third. That frame also saw Tanner Garey (3-for-3) drive home Kennedy Runyon (3-for-3, RBI), who along with her sister, Jill (3-for-4, three RBIs), had back-to-back RBI singles. The top-seed Turks (24-0) face either Havana or Midwest Central in the 11 a.m. Saturday final.
-Bob
Jacob Wilson cracked a walk off, three-run homer to center field in the bottom of the ninth to give the Peoria Chiefs a 13-10 win Wednesday night against the Lake County Captains before 2,053 fans. It was one of six extra base hits that led to the Chiefs win, bumping their record to 11-12 this season. Lake County scored early after former first-round pick LeVon Washington singled to lead off the game against Joe Cuda. Captains shortstop Dorssys Paulino reached on a Breyvic Valera error and two batters later, Joe Sever drove in Washington with a single. Paulino scored on a double-play by Nellie Rodriguez, putting the Captains up 2-0 after the top half of the first inning. The Chiefs responded against the Captains’ Mitch Brown with four runs in the bottom of the first frame. With two outs, Wilson became the Chiefs first baserunner after being hit by a pitch. Patrick Wisdom struck out swinging, but reached first on a wild pitch while Wilson found third on a throwing error by catcher Eric Haase. After Carson Kelly walked to load the bases, Geoff Klein belted a grand slam, his first long ball of the year. The hit doubled his season RBI total and put the Chiefs up 4-2. Down 10-8, the Chiefs scratched across a run in the eighth inning. Wilson led off the frame with a single, but was thrown out trying to score on a Kelly double. Kelly later scored, however, on an error by Erik Gonzalez, but the tying run was thrown out at second. The Chiefs weren’t done, scoring four runs in the bottom of ninth to win the game. Nick Martini led off with a single and advanced to third on a Casey Rasmus pinch-hit double. He then scored on a Steven Ramos sacrifice fly to center field tied the game at ten. After Francisco Valera stuck out and Tilson was hit by a pitch, Wilson smashed a three-run home run to win the game for the Chiefs.
-Bob
The Peoria Chiefs fell 5-4 in 11 innings in the 2013 season opener Thursday night against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers in front of 4,322 fans, the largest home opening crowd in Peoria since 1988. The Timber Rattlers were the first to score, platting two runs in the second inning against Chiefs starter Kurt Heyer. The Timber Rattlers led off the top of the third inning with three straight hits. The first from leadoff hitter Tyrone Taylor, and the second from Orlando Arcia on a double. Mitch Haniger brought in both Taylor and Arcia with a double for the 2-0 lead. Heyer made the opening night start and allowed two runs on four hits over three innings. He walked three and struck out three. Corey Baker threw two shutout innings with three strikeouts and one hit allowed. Jhonny Polanco allowed one run on three hits with a strikeout and a walk in two innings. Joseph Scanio allowed one unearned run on two hits with a strikeout in his three innings. Dixon Llorens (0-1) suffered the loss with one run allowed in one inning as he walked two.
-Bob
I went down to O’Brien Field to photograph the next to last home game of the season of the Peoria Chiefs. Looking to shoot some behind the scenes stuff of the crowd rather than the game, after nearly six months of shooting baseball over the summer. Hope you enjoy the snapshots as I get ready for fall season.
-Bob
The Peoria Chiefs’ three-game winning streak ended when the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers scored three runs in the ninth inning to hand the Chiefs a 4-1 loss on Tuesday on Illini Night at O’Brien Field before 1,334 fans. The loss dampened a night that started with new Illinois men’s basketball coach John Groce throwing out a ceremonial first pitch. The Timber Rattlers had three straight singles to start the inning against Peoria reliever Justin Berg to break the tie. A second run scored on an error by Wes Darvill and Berg was lifted for Austin Reed. Click here for game stats.
-Bob
