Pistol Shrimp Outlast Hoots for Series Split

Hoots Homer Three Times in Loss

PERU, IL- The O’Fallion Hoots (25-26, 10-14) concluded a two-game series with the Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp (25-25, 13-10) on Saturday, July 29. Looking to finish a series Sweep, the Hoots would hit three home runs, but it was the Pistol Shrimp who would outslug the Hoots in a 16-9 ballgame, to split the two-game set.

Inside the Box Score

• Maloy Heaghney, Michael Long and Jake Vitale each hit a home run
• Vitale led the offense with three RBIs
• Long and Chase Beattie each drove home a pair of runs

How it Happened

• In the opening inning, Illinois Valley scored two runs from an RBI extra-base hit off the bats of Logan Gregorio and Joseph Stagowski.
• The Hoots took the lead in the top of the second courtesy of a three-run home run from Vitale.
• In the top of the third inning, Long made it a 4-2 score after hitting a solo home run.
• In the bottom of the third inning, the Pistol Shrimp brought the score to 4-3 on a solo home run by Chance Resetich.
• Jack Meyer hit an RBI double in the top of the fourth inning to score Vitale.
• The Pistol Shrimp retook the lead with a big bottom of the fifth inning. Gregorio singled home a run to make it 5-4. Later in the inning, Xander Sielken hit a grand slam to put Illinois Valley up 5-8.
• In the top of the sixth inning, the Hoots tied the game up as Long hit an RBI single scoring Drew Mize. Later in the inning, Beattie doubled to score Long and Tyler Ferguson to make it 8-8.
• In the bottom of the sixth inning, however, Illinois Valley struck for another scoring outburst. Robert Marinec started the Shrimp scoring with an RBI single. Following Marinec, Stagowski doubled to score two more runs. Sielken would finish the frame with an RBI single to put Illinois Valley back in front 12-8.
• In the top of the eighth inning, Heaghnehy delivered a solo home run to make it a 12-9 game.
• In the bottom of the eighth inning, Illinois Valley struck for four more insurance runs. Louis Perona reached on an error that allowed two runners to score, and Marinec doubled to bring home another run. The inning was capped off by Gregorio grounding into a fielders’ choice that would score the Shrimp’s final run.

Up Next

The O’Fallon Hoots wrap up their five-game road trip with a matchup with the Alton RiverDragons at Llyod Hopkins Field, in Alton, IL on Sunday, July 30. First pitch is scheduled for 5:35 p.m. CST. Covera

ge can be found at ofallonhoots.com, as well as the team’s Twitter (@ofallonbaseball) and Instagram (ofallonhoots).