Hoots Run-Ruled In Alton

Platt collects RBI

For their final road contest of the 2023 season, the O’Fallon Hoots (25-27, 10-15) took on the Alton River Dragons (19-33, 10-16) Sunday night. The night belonged to the River Dragons, who needed just seven innings to defeat the Hoots, 12-1. 

Inside the Box Score

• Tucker Platt had a multi-hit game, going 2-3 from the plate while recording an RBI. 
• Eric Loomis did not allow a hit in his relief outing, throwing 1.2 innings.
• Victor Fujiu struck out the side in his one inning of relief.

How it Happened

• Things started out on the right foot for O’Fallon. With the bases loaded in the top of the first, Tucker Platt singled to drive in Jake Vitale and give the Hoots an early 1-0 lead.
• The lead did not last long however. In the bottom half of the inning, Eli Hoerner stood 90 feet from home plate. Erik Broekemeier singled to score Hoerner and even the game up at 1-1. 
• Alton took the lead the following inning. Hoerner singled to left field, which was enough to score Aiden Joaquin from second and put the River Dragons on top, 2-1. 
• The floodgates burst in the bottom of the third. Broekemeier led off with a hit, and Evan Evola used a two-run homer to up Alton’s lead to 4-1. Then, with runners at second and third, Joaquin doubled to score another run. After Hoerner walked to fill the bases, Chase Bloomer hit a two-RBI single to build his River Dragons a 7-1 lead. Drake Westcott then singled to plate another run, and, after a Broekemeier double pushed him to third, Westcott himself would score on an Evola single. Finally, an error from Platt allowed Broekemeier to score the last run of the inning with the score reading 10-1 in Alton’s favor.
• More River Dragon runs came in the fourth. As runners stood at every base, Westcott added another RBI to his total for the night with an RBI single. Broekemeier proceeded to ground out, but Joaquin managed to score off the play, setting Alton’s lead at 12-1, where it stood through the seventh inning. 

Up Next

It is now do or die for the Hoots, who must win out to have a chance at the Prairie Land Division second half title. The final push begins Tuesday in O’Fallon with a doubleheader against the team currently in first place, the Thrillville Thrillbillies. Game one is set for 5:30 p.m. CST, and that game will be considered a home game for the Thrillbillies as it is a makeup for a previously canceled game at Thrillville. Coverage can be found at ofallonhoots.com, as well as the team’s Twitter (@ofallonbaseball) and Instagram (ofallonhoots).