What a Game!

The real winner at the Wednesday, May 18, 2016, IHSA Regional game at Fulton, IL, was the spectators.  They were witness to one of the best high school baseball games played in this area for some time.

Morrison Mustang head coach, Ben Sondgeroth referred to the game as “epic!”

So many pieces existed to magnify the intensity of the evening. It was the end of the 30th season since Morrison Baseball had been revitalized. It was the last season that Coach Sondgeroth was to be Head Coach of the Morrison Mustangs, due to a change of profession. The rivalry between Morrison and Fulton exists in every event they have scheduled.  A previous contest between the two ended in a close, one-run victory for Morrison. Add to the above, a beautiful evening with the sidelines crowded with Morrison and Fulton fans–many of whom are related–and two of the best teams in Northwest Illinois, and nobody can really say they went home disappointed, even though the outcome favored Fulton by the score of 2-1 in ten innings.

The pitching matchup was Joey Brackemyer for Morrison versus Devon Ballard for Fulton. Stats couldn’t have been more equal:

• each team sent 37 batters to the plate
• each team managed to scratch out six hits
• each team received eight base-on-balls
• Morrison had 15 batters strike out; Fulton had14 batters receive strike three
• Morrison stranded  12 runners; Fulton stranded 13
• the pitching comparison revealed Ballard threw 177 pitches with .605% being strikes; Brackemyer threw 160 pitches with a strike percentage of .600%.

The game was filled with missed opportunities intertwined with excellent pitching in tight situations.

Fulton scored in the first inning, as Cole McClary got on via a fielder’s choice. He advanced to second when Devon Ballard walked and then scored on a Seth Sikkema single to left field.  The Mustangs retaliated in the second inning following a Merik Kennedy single.  Kennedy advanced to second on a passed ball, and he attempted to steal third. The catcher’s throw to third bounded into left field, and Kennedy crossed with the tying run.

The tenth inning saw Fulton fill the bases with nobody out. Morrison scratched two outs without allowing a score, but the unearned run plated on an infield grounder that failed to create an out. Final score was Morrison 1, Fulton 2.

The large crowd departed Drives Park discussing the game’s details, but few left disappointed. They recognized the effort these young men put forward and appreciated being part of such a great baseball event.