Hoots Split Doubleheader with Jackson

Hoots take game one, but drop game two

The O’Fallon Hoots (15-12) returned home from their nine-day road trip for a doubleheader matchup with the Jackson Rockabillies (11-18) on Sunday, July 2, at CarShield Field. A low-scoring game one fell in the Hoots’ favor as they defeated the Rockabillies 5-2, but Jackson got their revenge in game two, winning 6-4.

Game One – Hoots Win 5-2

Inside the Box Score

• Barrett Lohman picked up his second win of the season.
• Nick Harms turned in a multi-hit performance with an RBI.
• Chase Becker doubles in his O’Fallon debut.
• Drew Politte records his first save of the season.

How it Happened 

• Jackson kicked off the game with a two-run home run from Luke Lowery in the top of the first inning to put the Rockabillies ahead 2-0.
• O’Fallon responded in the bottom of the first inning, scoring three runs on three hits. Harms hit an RBI double to score Ethan Rossow. Mike Maloney grounded out to score Jack Meyer from third base. Chase Becker put the Hoots ahead as he doubled off the left-field wall to make it a 3-2 ballgame.
• The Hoots added to their lead in the bottom of the fourth inning as John Stallcup and Braedon Stoakes scored on an error by the Jackson defense.

Game Two – Rockabillys Win 6-4

Inside the Box Score

• Michael Long collected an RBI while also scoring a run and drawing a walk. 
• Maloy Heaghney reached base three times with a single and two walks. He also scored a run.
• The Hoots’s bullpen combined for 4.1 innings of one earned run ball. 

How it Happened

• Similar to game one, a Jackson home run started the scoring in game two. This time it came in the top of the second off the bat of Carter Vrabel to give the Rockabillys a 1-0 lead. Following a pair of strikeouts, Dylan LaRue put one into the Hoots’s bullpen for another solo shot, increasing Jackson’s lead to 2-0. 
• The Rockabillys built on their lead in the third. The first two batters, Tyler Macon and Griffin Cameron, reached thanks to a hit by pitch and walk respectively, and Vrabel would eventually drive both of them in with an RBI single to set the score at 4-0. 
• O’Fallon finally got their first run of game two in the fourth. With Tyson Ludwig on third because of a throwing error from Jackson pitcher Sam Poindexter, Drew Politte hit what should have been an inning-ending groundout, but first-baseman Braden Vinyard dropped the throw, allowing Ludwig to score and cut the lead to 4-1. 
• Jackson got that run back next half inning. Vrabel struck once again, squeaking an RBI triple past a diving Drew Mize in center field to score Jake McCutcheon, making the Rockabillys’s lead at 5-1.
• The Hoots’s offense really came alive in the bottom of the fifth. Ethan Rossow reached first because of a Vrabel error from third, and then Maloy Heaghney advanced Rossow with his single. Michael Long scored Rossow with an RBI single, and Mike Maloney scored Heaghney with an RBI double. Long would then score himself on a groundout from Zach Beatty, pulling O’Fallon within one, 5-4. 
• That Jackson lead would jump to two in the sixth. Braden Becker drew a leadoff walk, reached second on a wild pitch, and then stole third base. When Cameron hit a grounder that ate up second baseman Ludwig, Becker crossed home to set the score at 6-4, which is where it would stand until the final out was tallied.

Up Next

The Hoots travel to the Thrillville Thrillbillies tomorrow, July 3, with first pitch at 6:45 p.m. CST. coverage can be found at ofallonhoots.com, as well as the team’s Twitter (@ofallonbaseball) and Instagram (ofallonhoots).