Ironmen baseball reignited their win streak with back-to-back wins over the Normal West Wildcats after suffering their first loss of the season last weekend.
Community is 2-0 after the Iron’s 15-game winning streak ended in an 8-6 loss to Bradley Bourbonnais on April 13. With the wins over West, the Iron improved to 17-1 on the season and 7-0 in the Big 12.
While pitching was the key to the Iron’s 6-1 win over the Wildcats on Monday, prowess at the plate secured the 9-4 victory Wednesday.
Ethan Eberle punched out 15 on Monday, allowing two hits and one run in six innings of work. Kaileb Hackman threw one inning of no-hit ball to close out the game.
Normal broke the 0-0 game open in the third, putting up three runs in the frame.
With two outs, Kyle Beaty scored on a wild pitch before West’s left-fielder misplayed an Owen Cavanaugh flyball, allowing Hackman and Gavin Borne to score.
Wednesday’s victory came courtesy of the Iron’s bats.
Community trailed 1-0 after the first half-inning of play before Cavanaugh gave Community the lead with a two-run single.
A bases-loaded walk would put Community up 3-1 after one inning.
The Wildcats knotted the game at 3-3 in the third.
Junior Kyle Beaty hit a line-drive single to left to put Community back on top 5-3.
Cavanaugh broke the game open in the bottom of the sixth, hitting a double to left, scoring three runs.
Cavanaugh finished the day with five RBIs on two hits and swiped two bases, while Beaty went three-for-four with two RBIs.
Anthony Gura went two-for-four with an RBI, and Josh Eisefelder also knocked in a run.
The Iron to extend their win streak this weekend, they host the 6-8 Richwoods Knights at 4:30 p.m. Friday before traveling to Washington tomorrow to take on the 11-3 Panthers.