Hoots Sweep Dramatic Doubleheader Against Rival Alton

Six run inning secures a Hoots walk-off win in game one, score game winning run in bottom of sixth in game two

A battle between two of the closest distanced Prairie Land Division rivals took place at CarShield Field on Saturday night, as the O’Fallon Hoots (20-20, 5-8) and the Alton River Dragons (5-9) faced off in a doubleheader. With O’Fallon trailing by five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, the offense rallied to put up six runs for a walk-off victory. Then, in game two, Chase Beattie clutched up in the bottom of the sixth and drove in the game winning run with a two-out double. 

Game One- Hoots Win 10-9

Inside the Box Score

• Maloy Heaghney hits his third home run of the season.
• Ludwig drives in three runs in a multi-hit performance 
• Gavin Baldwin and Tyler Ferguson record their first hits as Hoots members.
• Coby Rogers tosses a scoreless inning in relief.

How it Happened

• Alton got off to an early start scoring a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. Drake Westscott drew a bases-loaded walk to score the first of two runs. Later in the inning, Evan Evola hit a sacrifice flyout to score Dominic Decker.
• The River Dragons added another run in the top of the second inning, courtesy of a sacrifice flyout from Decker, making it a 3-0 Alton lead.
• Maloy Heaghney got the Hoots on the board in the bottom of the third inning, with a solo home run.
• Alton quickly responded with two runs in the top of the second inning. Scoring their first off a squeeze bunt from Eli Hoerner, and the other run crossed on an RBI single from Decker.
• O’Fallon hung a three spot in the bottom of the third inning to cut the RiverDragons’ lead to 5-4. Tyson Ludwig doubled in Jake Vitale and Tyler Ferguson before coming around to score himself on a dropped third strike.
• Westcott added an insurance run for Alton as he scored on a double steal attempt to boost the RiverDragons lead to 6-4 in the top of the fifth inning.
• The RiverDragons added a trio of runs in the top of the fifth inning. A solo home run from Chase Bloomer started the scoring before Westcott brought home the other two runs on a double into left field to make it 9-4 in favor of Alton.
• The Hoots’ resilient effort in the bottom of the seventh inning led to a walk-off victory, scoring six runs in the inning. A series of walks brought home the first couple of runs. Jake Vitale and Matthew Arnold each walked with bases loaded to bring home a pair. Ludwig singled home a run before Maloy Heaghney tied the game at 9-9 with a two-run single. The walk-off happened in chaotic fashion as Alton pitcher Victor Heredia bocked home the winning run.

Game Two- Hoots Win 4-2

Inside the Box Score

• Chase Beattie proved the hero of the game, with his two RBIs in the bottom of the sixth representing the game winning runs. 
• Tyson Ludwig drove in the other RBI for the Hoots. He also scored the first run of the game thanks to a pair of stolen bases. 
• Sam Feltz shut the door to close out the game, striking out the side in the top of the seventh to earn his fourth save of the season.

How it Happened

• O’Fallon picked up the first run of the game thanks entirely to Tyson Ludwig. The Hoots’s leadoff man drew a walk in the bottom of the first to reach first base. The second baseman then stole second and third base before a passed ball allowed Ludwig to score and give the Hoots a 1-0 lead. 
• Alton did not take long to respond. In the top of the second, with a runner at second, Kaden Cutts hit a one-hopper off the right field to drive the tying run in, knotting up the game at 1-1. 
• Both teams’s bats stayed quiet until the bottom of the fourth. Back-to-back hit-by-pitches and a walk loaded the bags for the Hoots, and then Ludwig delivered an RBI single to drive a run in and retake the lead for the O’Fallon, 2-1. 
• After some more dominating pitching, the River Dragons were able to tie things in the sixth. Bryce Zupan reached on an infield single and then advanced to second on an error from Ludwig. A single from Diego Murrillo drove Zupan in and deadlocked the score at 2-2. 
• It would take a pitching change and a couple of Alton mistakes for the Hoots to take the lead in the bottom of the sixth. With two outs, Tucker Platt reached base on an error from River Dragon shortstop Chase Bloomer, and then Jake Vitale doubled off the right field high wall to push Platt to third. Chase Beattie was put in as a pinch hitter and looked as if he popped out in foul territory, but Alton catcher Kaden Cutts dropped what would have been the final out of the inning. Beattie made Alton pay for that mistake, ringing a two-run double off the right field high wall and putting the Hoots up 4-2. That was all Sam Feltz needed in the top of the seventh, as he struck out the side to close out the win. 

Up Next

These two squads face off one more time tomorrow, this time in Alton at 5:35 p.m. CST. Coverage can be found at ofallonhoots.com, as well as the team’s Twitter (@ofallonbaseball) and Instagram (ofallonhoots).