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IHSA Class 1A Baseball Semi-Finals - Dateline: Friday, June 5Cougars Fall To Meteors In Semis By Craig Lang
Things couldn't have started any better for the Eastland Cougars Friday afternoon at Silver Cross Field in Joliet. They jumped out to a 2-0 first inning lead on the Class 1A state runner up Marissa Meteors, putting Marissa down by the largest margin of any opponent in the postseason. The Meteors had given up only three runs in thirty-three postseason innings. Eastland junior center fielder Tony Dunlap led off the bottom of the first with a base hit and promptly stole second base. Shortstop Brad Dunlap followed with a base on balls. With one out, catcher Zach Truckenmiller singled, scoring Tony, with brother Brad being thrown out at the plate. Gabe Schrader was sent in to pinch run for Zach and he scored on a Tyler Zumdahl double to left center to make it 2-0 Eastland. The Meteors put one on the board to cut the lead in half in the top of the second and followed with another in the third to knot the score at two. Neither team could get anything going offensively for the next couple innings and the next scoring opportunity would come for Marissa in the top of the sixth. Catcher Michael Lloyd drew a base on balls but was picked off of first base. First baseman Phillip Sinn singled and scored on a Chris Fullerton double to make it 3-2 Meteors. Marissa would tack on another pair of runs in the top of the seventh on a walk and a pair of hits. The Cougars refused to go down quietly and started a two out rally with a single by Brad Dunlap. Second baseman Drew Carroll followed with a double to left scoring Brad. Truckenmiller then reached first on an error by Marissa shortstop Fullerton with Carroll advancing to third. But the luck ran out there as a fielder's choice ended the contest, with the final 5-3. Eastland starter Tyler Zumdahl went six innings on the mound for the Cougars, giving up five runs, four earned. He allowed ten hits and walked four while striking out four. He was relieved in the seventh by Gabe Schrader who pitched one scoreless inning, giving up one hit while fanning one. Catcher Zach Truckenmiller led Eastland at the plate, going three for four with a double and an RBI. The loss put the Cougars into the third place game on Saturday morning to face the North Fulton Wildcats. (30-7)Marissa-0-1-1-0-0-1-2-5-11-4 (25-6-1)Eastland-2-0-0-0-0-0-1-3-8-2 WP: Fullerton (5-3) 6 2/3IP, 3R, 3ER, 8H, 1BB, 7K LP: Zumdahl (8-2) 6IP, 5R, 4ER, 10H, 4BB, 4K 2B: Marissa: 2 (Fullerton, Pitchford) Eastland: 3 (Carroll, Truckenmiller, Zumdahl) LOB: Marissa: 7 Eastland: 8 Attendance: 678
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