Revolution gets big boost to its wins column

Marc Rogers
Posted 7/11/19

Revolution gets big boost to its wins column

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Revolution gets big boost to its wins column

Posted

CLINTON — The Central Illinois Revolution took a road trip for the July 4 weekend and played their collective hearts out from July 5-7.  

They were in the 2019 Wooden Bat World Series at Myrtle Beach, S.C.  Then, for their finale, the team returns to Central Illinois to play in the 2019 Midwest College Showcase at Jacksonville and Springfield from July 12-14.  

The Revolution did well in their Wooden Bat Series, winning four out of five games to improve to 13-7-3 on the season.  The first test of their skills was a team called the Marlins 16-U.  

The Revolution was fired up from the Fourth of July, scoring four runs in the top of the first inning.  This was followed by a single Marlin run in the bottom of the inning.  

Both teams then traded single runs in the second.  The fourth and deciding inning was controlled again by the Revolution adding 5 more runs to the Marlins single tally.  This was where the initial tournament foray ended with the Revolution taking the 10-3 win.  

Drew Stacey was the winning pitcher for the Revolution allowing 3 runs on 4 hits while striking out 7 and walking only one.  The offense was led by Colby Arseneau and Michael Oswald at 2-3; Braden Cross, Jacob Rogers, and Garrett Wayne at 1-2; and Ruslin Turner and Logan Wills both getting one hit at one at bat.

The next for for the Revolution was the Maryville, Tenn. 323 16-U team.  This team hung tough and stayed with the Revolution run-for-run through five innings. Finally, the Revolution broke away with three unanswered runs in the sixth inning to take the lead and eventually the 7-4 win.  

Ryan Yeakley started for the Revolution, pitching two innings and allowing one run on two hits while walking four and striking out 4.  He was relieved by Ryan Campbell who took the win, pitching three innings allowing 3 runs on two hits while striking out 3 and walking 2.  Michael Oswald came on in the sixth inning to record the save allowing no runs and no hits.  

The Revolution took game two 7-4.  Braden Cross (2-2) and Ryan Yeakley (1-1) led the Revolution attack. 

In the second game on Saturday, the Revolution faced the Cincinnati Galaxy.  The Galaxy drew first blood in the top of the first inning with three runs.  

The Revolution struggled to within one by scoring twice in the second inning.  After a score by the Galaxy in the fourth inning, the Revolution tied the game in the bottom of the frame.  In the fourth inning, the opposition tagged on another run, but the Revolution bats were now hot and they had a 6-run field day, adding a final unneeded insurance run in the fifth for the 11-5 win.  

Logan Wills got the win, pitching four innings allowing 5 runs on 1 hit while striking out 4 and walking 4.  Alex Barr stepped in as relief in the fifth inning allowing no hits and no runs with one strike out and one walk.  Alex Barr, Ryan Campbell, Dominic Graves, Drew Stacey, Garrett Wayne and Ryan Yeakely all had hits for the team.

On the final day of the tournament; Sunday, July 7, the Revolution took on two more opponents.  First up was a repeat match with the 323 16-U team from Maryville, Tenn.  

The Maryville team took a two-run lead in the second inning and holding the lead while the Revolution clawed their way back into the game with a single run in each of the fifth and seventh innings.  Each team scored a run in the eighth to remain tied, then Maryville added a run in the top of the ninth to take the lead.  

But the Revolution was not out yet. In the bottom of the ninth, Ryan Yeakley singled on a 2-1 count to drive in the tying and winning runs for a very close 5-4 win.  Garrett Wayne started for the Revolution and went 6 and 2/3 innings, striking out 11 and walking 3.  Alex Barr came on late in relief and got the win while striking out 3.

The final game in South Carolina for the Revolution was their achilles heel.  The last opponent was the Valley Tboltz team, who seemed very lucky.  

The Revolution started the game with five runs in the top of the first inning.  But the Tboltz rallied for 3 runs of their own in the bottom of the inning.  

However, the Revolution bats went silent for the rest of the game, while the opposition tied the score in the fourth and took the lead and the win in the fifth inning.  

The Revolution lost their final tournament game 6-5.  Michael Oswald was tagged for the loss.  Drew Stacey and Ryan Yeakley led the attack with 2-3 hitting.  

The Revolution is now 13-7-3 for the season and looking for more wins.