Johnson’s Clutch Hit in 9th Lifts Chargers to Win at Illinois Central

EAST PEORIA — Caileb Johnson (Brimfield, Ill./Brimfield) came through with the go-ahead single in the ninth inning to send the Carl Sandburg College baseball team to a 7-6 win at Illinois Central in the Chargers' regular season finale on Wednesday night.

Sandburg 7, Illinois Central 6
Sandburg         002      400      001      —        7          8          1
Illinois Central 320      100      000      —        6          8          1
W: Chase Mason 1 IP, 1 K, 1 BB
SV: Charlie Shissler 1 IP, 2 K, 0 BB

KEY MOMENTS
• Down 5-0 after the second, the Chargers (26-21) rallied to take the lead over the next two innings. Cam Scott (Mapleton, Ill./Illini Bluffs) knocked a two-run single in the third. Chase Mason (Washington, Ill./Washington) hit a two-run homer in the fourth, and Jack Shields (Peoria Heights, Ill./Notre Dame) made it back-to-back blasts to tie the score. Ashton Johnson (Brimfield, Ill./Brimfield) delivered an RBI single later inning for a 6-5 Sandburg lead.
• ICC pulled even again with a run in the bottom of the fourth, and it stayed that way until the top of the ninth. Ashton Johnson led off the ninth with a base hit to center, and Scott followed with a walk. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch before Caileb Johnson's liner to center brought in the eventual game-winner.

BULLPEN SHUTS THE DOOR
Five Chargers relievers — Ian Donaldson (Dunlap, Ill./Dunlap), Jack Bruington (Carmel, Ind./Carmel), Jack Barham (Dunlap, Ill./Dunlap), Mason and Charlie Shissler (Elmwood, Ill./Elwmood) — each threw a scoreless inning to keep the Cougars off the board in the final five frames. The quintet combined for seven strikeouts while allowing just two hits and two walks.

SANDBURG STANDOUT
Caileb Johnson's clutch hit helped him finish 2 for 4 with a walk, a double, a run scored and an RBI.

OTHER TOP CHARGERS
• Ashton Johnson — 2 for 5, run, RBI
• Scott — 2 for 4, walk, two RBIs
• Mason — two-run home run, three walks

UP NEXT FOR SANDBURG
Region IV sectional series (best-of-three) at Black Hawk
• Game 1 — Noon Friday
• Game 2 — 3 p.m. Friday
• Game 3 — Noon Saturday (if necessary) 

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