Sullivan Rolls Through Cards In Five Innings

Sullivan pushed three runs across in the home half of the fourth inning Wednesday and it gave them the margin they needed to send Steelville home early.

The Eagles overran Steelville 12-2 on a night where it felt like every ball was a rocket off their bats. 

Garrett Juergens pelted a double off the base of the wall in left field as part of a four-run first inning that saw the Eagles (6-1) an erase an early deficit. They followed up with a run in the second, four in the third and three more in the fourth.

Sullivan pounded out 10 hits, including two each by Jacob Miller, Jacob Hatcher and Logan McCummiskey.

McCummiskey battled through five innings to pick up his second win of the season, striking out nine, walking three and allowing five hits.

He allowed a leadoff single in the first, struck out the next two batters, and then gave up two more singles that gave the Cardinals their first run. He struck out the next batter to strand a pair.

Sullivan needed just two batters in the first to tie the game. Miller drew a leadoff walk, stole second and scored on a single by Austin Frye. 

Frye swiped second and went to third on an error by the pitcher, who was attempting to pick him off. He scored when Hatcher floated a single to left.

JD McReynolds was hit by a pitch and with runners on the corner, Juergens drove a ball that spun around Steelville’s left fielder and bounced off the wall. He trotted into second and scored Hatcher for a 3-1 lead. McReynolds, who was stopped at third, later tried scoring on a passed ball and was thrown out. Juergens advanced to third, scoring when McCummiskey dropped a hit into center.

Blayen Nolie was hit by a pitch to begin the second. Miller lined a single into right to put runners at the corners. Frye reached safely on an error at third. The run scored, but Miller and Frye were tagged out trying to steal an extra base. The Eagles led 5-1.

Steelville would get back one of the runs when Josh Earney hit a grounder, reached safely on an error at third, then slid into second with a wild throw to the bag. He crossed the plate on a bloop single.

Sullivan loaded the bases in the third with a one-out single by McReynolds and two-out walks to McCummiskey and Landon Hoffman. Nolie hit a fly ball deep to left that was dropped by the fielder and cleared the bags. Another run crossed the plate when Miller chopped a grounder to third and he legged out an infield single, putting the Eagles ahead 9-2. 

More two-out damage followed in the fourth. Hatcher had a one-out single and Juergens drew a two-out walk. McCummiskey hit a two-run single to left, then Hoffman smacked an RBI single to that side.

Steelville had a chance to extend the game past into the bottom of the fifth. McCummiskey loaded the bases with two walks and a hit batter, but he punched out the next two to wrap up the victory.