BASEBALL: Herrin pours it on late to top P'ville-Du Quoin

Posted June 11, 2015 11:00 pm

Doug Daniels

Pinckneyville-Du Quoin had a four-run fourth inning to snatch the lead away from Herrin in Wednesday's Senior American Legion baseball match-up at Rigdon Field, but visiting Post 645 struck back with three in the fifth, five in the sixth and one in the seventh to come away with a 14-7 victory over Posts 2504 & 647.

Herrin led in the early going, using a pair of doubles to go up 1-0 in the top of the first before a three-run, three-hit second inning to give Post 645 a 4-0 advantage.

P-DQ chipped away a run in the bottom of the second when Nolan Luke walked and later scored after singles by Trent Hicks, Clayton Houghland and Jackson Brand (RBI).

Hayden Carter, 2504/647's starting pitcher, worked out of a jam in the third to put up a zero, then in the bottom of the inning, Tyler Rulevish walked, A.J. Smith and Jacob Valier singled, and Hicks delivered a sacrifice RBI as Pinckneyville-Du Quoin crept within a run at 4-3.

Herrin made it 5-3 in the top of the fourth, but P-DQ grabbed the lead with four runs in the bottom of the frame. Dylan Carns reached on an error, Brand singled before being erased on a fielder's choice, then Smith doubled in a pair of runs. Valier followed with a base hit, Luke reached on an error, and Hicks singled for his second RBI of the day, and 2504/647 led 7-5.

But Herrin's offense was too much, and Pinckneyville-Du Quoin's defense didn't do them any favors either. Two errors, a walk and a base hit gave Post 645 the lead back in the top of the fifth, 8-7, then with Clayton Houghland on in relief of Carter, Herrin cranked out a five-spot in the sixth to put it out of reach.

2504/647 didn't get a runner past first base in any of the final three innings on offense.

Smith (3-3, 2 RBI, 2B, BB), Valier (2-4, RBI), Luke (1-3, BB), Hicks (2-3, 2 RBI, SAC), Houghland (1-3, HBP) and Brand (3-3, RBI) had hits for Pinckneyville-Du Quoin.

Herrin also took game two, winning by the score of 5-0.

Pinckneyville-Du Quoin (1-4) travels to Steeleville on Thursday (6:00 p.m.) before hosting Murphysboro on Friday (6:00 p.m.) and Marion on Saturday (1:00 p.m.).