Brandon-Evansville baseball: Charger boys split

• Campbell

Eric Morken, Echo Press Junior Craig Campbell delivered a pitch in a game earlier this season. Campbell and his Brandon-Evansville teammates earned their first win of the season in a 5-4 game against Hancock.

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The Brandon-Evansville Chargers split a pair of games, defeating Hancock but falling to Wheaton in Pheasant Conference baseball action.

WHEATON 4, B-E 1

Wheaton broke open a 1-1 contest in the fifth, scoring three runs to hand the Chargers a 4-1 loss.

“We put ourselves in position to score runs early in this game, but just couldn’t capitalize,” said Charger head coach Brian Perleberg. “We left runners in scoring position in each of the first four innings.

“If we could have picked up another hit to bring any of those runners in, it would have given us the lead and may have swung the momentum in our direction.

“Unfortunately, we weren’t able to do that, and apply the pressure that is needed to pin down a good team like Wheaton.”

John Huisman took the loss on the mound despite striking out four in four and two-thirds innings, allowing just one earned run. Billie Juul came in in relief.

“We received another excellent performance from JT Huisman,” said Perleberg. “Billie Juul relieved JT and did a fine job on the mound. He kept us in the game, but our offense just couldn’t mount a rally in the late innings.”

B-E 5, HANCOCK 4

A three-run sixth kept Brandon-Evansville in front of Hancock Monday.

“This game was very evenly played as the box score will indicate,” said Perleberg. “Both Dan Schaffer and Bryan Shaw threw very well for their respective teams, limiting their walks and relying on their defense to make plays.

“Fortunately, we were able to come through with some clutch hitting and bunting in the sixth inning to give ourselves the lead going into the last inning.

The Chargers trailed 3-2 heading into the bottom of the sixth when they got a leadoff double from Jared Goehringer, who later tied the game on a successful squeeze bunt by Mitch Anderson. Billie Juul then delivered an RBI ground out to drive in Craig Campbell to give Brandon-Evansville its first lead of the game.

Schaffer later drove in Anderson to increase the Chargers’ lead to two at 5-3.

“Hancock battled us till the end and had the tying run in scoring position in the seventh,” Perleberg added, “before Schaffer got Wilson to fly out to end the game.”

Austin Steege singled to left to start the top of the seventh, then scored as Bryan Shaw hit an RBI double before Schaffer closed out the game.

The Chargers will now host Eagle Valley today, Friday, and will host Ashby on Monday.

GAME STATISTICS

WHEATON 010 030 0 4-9-4

BRANDON-EV 010 000 0 1-5-3

PITCHING – WP-Tanner Kirkreide, Wheaton; LP-John Huisman, Brandon-Evansville.

WHEATON LEADERS – Peder Schmitz 2-3, 1 run, sb; Kelly Engquist 2-4, run, sb.

BRANDON-EVANSVILLE LEADERS – Tom Bosek 2-3, sb; Craig Campbell 1-3, run; Billie Juul 1-3.

HANCOCK 120 000 1 4-9-3

BRANDON-EV 100 103 X 5-10-1

PITCHING (ip-h-r-bb-so) – Dan Schaffer, BE, 7-9-4-2-2; Bryan Shaw, Han, 6-10-5-1-6.

BRANDON-EVANSVILLE LEADERS – Mitch Anderson 2-4, 2 rbi, 2 runs; Billie Juul 2-4, 2 rbi; Dan Schaffer 2-3, sb.

HANCOCK LEADERS – Austin Steege 3-4, 2b, 1 run; Justin Miller 2-3, 1 run.

Tags: brandon evansville sports, sports, chargers, baseball