Eagles Defend Home In 11-Run Wins

No matter what situation the Eagles (12-9) find themselves in, they can always rally back in the clutch.

Chase Blue attributes Sullivan’s gritty finishes to the “brotherhood” they have on the field and dugout. “We get it every day in practice; we just keep fighting every time,” he shared.

Blue was named the Most Valuable Player in Sullivan’s comeback win over New Haven (4-7) on Apr. 28. He batted 3-for-4 and brought in 2 RBIs and two runs.

Both conference teams were tied two apiece until the bottom of the fourth.  Raiden Redd drove Nolan Ulrich home to put his team back on top. Blue followed with a two-run RBI that ignited the Eagles to fire up a 7-2 lead.

Sullivan then swooped up four more scores in the fifth and sixth innings. They would trounce New Haven 11-2 to continue a fifteen-game winning streak that has lasted since 2009. 

The Eagles have soared ahead in the biggest moments because of their chemistry. Blue explained it: “We just work together, we get people on, and we just score ‘em in every time.”

Sullivan continued their momentum the following day against Salem (10-6-1). They set the tone with five runs in the first inning, then mercied the Tigers 11-1 by the fifth.

Alex Toews received the M.V.P. belt, alongside pitcher Lucas Parsons, for playing a crucial role in the district victory.

Toews went a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate, leading with 3 RBIs and three runs. He was proud to see his teammates rally to crush Salem by being “selfless” when hitting. 

Mitchell Garner sacrificed his at-bat to drive Blue in for a score, and Redd later did the same for Valley. Landen Doza also bunted to allow Toews to cross the dish, and then Ulrich repeated the same favor to Brody Gawer.

Toews shared how the Eagles have been working on their at-bats in recent practices. “One of the things we’ve been struggling all year with is we get runners on, but we can’t drive them in,” he stated. “The big thing [against Salem] was just hitting runners in and just getting up early and having good approaches at the plate.”

Sullivan plans to continue playing small ball as they cap off the regular season and gear up for districts. Toews described their strategy: “We just got to get guys on and drive them in, and just continue to put bat on ball... Like Coach [Whitson] tells us, ‘You put the ball in play, the defense is gonna make errors, right? Just put the ball in play; that’s all we gotta do.’”

‘Brother’ Toews also mentioned, “I just like to thank the Lord for the game today and what He gave me and blessed me with. And you know, I couldn’t have done it without Him. And His blessings are new every morning, and so I’m thankful for that.”

Sullivan 11, New Haven 2

Drake Gawer led the Eagles with 3 RBIs. He also shined with a run and a hit on the diamond.

Garner dominated at-bat, going 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI.

Doza scored a team-high three times while also landing a hit.

Ulrich pulled off two runs, two walks, an RBI and a hit.

Redd racked up 2 RBIs, a run, a hit and a walk. 

Toews drove a runner home on his RBI.

Isaiah ‘Dirty Dan’ Skaggs pitched the first three innings for Sullivan. He struck out three batters but surrendered a hit.

Grant Halmick followed in the rotation and gave up a hit.

Mahlon Foster came out of the bullpen during the fifth inning. The sophomore fired a strikeout while allowing a walk.

Anden Carey shut the door on the Shamrocks. As Sullivan’s closer, he hurled two strikeouts but gave up a hit.

Sullivan 11, Salem 1

Doza and D. Gawer each tallied two runs, two hits, an RBI and a walk.

Blue broke loose with a run, an RBI, a hit and a walk.

Redd reeled in 2 RBIs, a run and a hit.

Garner was lights out with a run, an RBI and a hit.

B. Gawer notched a run and a walk.

Seth Valley picked up a run and a hit.

Ulrich batted in an RBI.

Kaden Smith crossed the dish once.

Parsons pitched a complete game, clawing out the Tigers with seven strikeouts. He only allowed five hits, an earned run and a walk in his five innings.