DECATUR, IL- The O’Fallon Hoots offense showed up and flexed in a big way, riding seven extra base hits and seventeen hits total to an 18-4 mercy rule victory over the Decatur Bean Ballers.
Top Performers:
Nick Bonczkowski- 4-4, 1 2B, 2 HRs, 3 Rs, 8 RBIs
William Zareh- 2-4, 1 2B, 3 Rs, 2 RBIs
Jaiden Glency- 2-4, 1 HR, 2 Rs, 4 RBIs
How It Happened:
It took an inning, but when the Hoots offense got going, it was relentless. After both teams went scoreless in the first, O’Fallon hit two quick singles before William Zareh drove them in with a two RBI hit. He would score on a double steal, making the score 3-0.
The Hoots found success with the double steal, as they would do it again later in the inning, with Nick Alagna scoring this time. Nick Steurer ended the scoring in the second for the Hoots with a two-RBI triple, ensuring the Hoots batted around and making the score 6-0.
Though the Bean Ballers responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning, the Hoots kept their foot on the gas. A Jaiden Glency RBI single in the third made the score 7-2.
In the fourth, Nick Bonczkowski continued to make his case for league MVP with a three-run home run. Nick Alagna added an RBI single to make the score 11-2.
Nick Bonczkowski and the Hoots weren’t done though. The first three Hoots batters reached in the fifth, before Nick Bonczkowski unleashed a grand slam to give him two home runs and seven RBIs on the day so far. Jaiden Glency continued his hot hitting with a three run home run, bringing the total in the inning up to seven and effectively putting the game away for the Hoots, 18-2.
The Bean Ballers did score two runs total in the fourth and fifth, but they were no match for Nick Bonczkowski, who doubled home a run in the sixth to bring the final score to 19-4 and give him eight RBIs on the day.
It was all more than plenty for Hoots pitching as four pitchers combined to give up four runs on six hits. Carter Perry, who started and worked four good innings, got the win.
The victory gives O’Fallon a record of 11-7 entering a critical stretch in the final two weeks of the season. After a home game against the Alton River Dragons on Tuesday, the Hoots will face the white-hot Cape Catfish, who are currently winners of twenty straight. They face Cape for two games away on Wednesday and Thursday before closing out the three-game series with a home game on Friday.
