SPRINGFIELD — The Central Illinois Revolution headed for Springfield after their home win to play in a Fourth of July tournament.  They were pitted against four teams and played five games beginning on Thursday, July 2nd and ending on the 5th.  There were two Bloomington/Normal teams and two Springfield teams besides the Revolution.

     The first game for the Revolution (on Thursday) was against the Springfield Rifles 17U team.  After their win at home, the Revolution still had their big bats limbered up, taking a three run lead in the bottom of the first.  They then added one more in the third inning and unloaded with four runs in the sixth.  The Rifles made the game interesting early on by scoring 2 runs in the second to come within one run of the Revolution.  The Rifles added another run in the sixth, but it was too little, too late.  The Revolution took the win 8-3.  Logan Petersen got the win for the Revolution, pitching two and one third innings and allowing two runs on three hits while striking out two and walking one.  Caleb Foster and Logan Wills pitched in relief.  The offense was created by Garrett Wayne with a single and both Tyler West and Braden Cross (3-4) with doubles.  The Revolution took their early game 8-3.  

 

             1     2     3     4     5     6     7     R     H     E  

RFLS      0     2     0     0     0     1     x     3     6     0

RVLT      3     0     1     0     0     4     x     8    10     0

     The second game for the Revolution was part of a Friday double header for the team.  The first opponent of the day was the Bloomington/Normal Baseball Association (BNBA) Gold-Arthur 16U team.  And with some wins in the wings the Revolution were firing on all cylinders, offensively and defensively.

     The Revolution began with two runs in the first inning, started by Dominic Graves getting hit by a pitch to force in the first run.  The team then added another run in the first, one more in the second, and 4 runs in the third.  The scoring for hte Revolution was then capped off with 3 runs in the sixth inning.  The big third inning was fueled through singles by Garrett Wayne, Caleb Foster, and Drew Stacy with Logan Petersen adding a sacrifice fly for another run.  Stacey (3-4), Graves and Wayne all had multiple hits to lead the offense.  Defensively, the team committed no errors in the game for the second game in a row.  Garrett Wayne pitched a complete game shut-out allowing no runs on four hits while striking out seven.  The Revolution took the 10-0 win.

             1     2     3     4     5     6     7     R     H     E

BNBB     0     0     0     0     0     0     x     0     4      4 

RVLT      2     1     4     0     0     3     x    10    10    0

     The Friday night cap for the Revolution was a tough slugfest they thought was in hand until a late surge by the opposition, the Springfield Rifles 16U team.  There were a total of 21 runs scored and 20 hits in the game.  The Revolution started well with five runs in the first inning and one in the fifth for the usual 6-0 lead.  Then the bus lost its wheels and the Rifles fired back with five runs in the sixth inning.  The Revolution tallied 3 in the bottom of the inning to keep the lead.  But the Rifles added 6 more in the seventh and the Revolution could only come up with one more run to loose 11-10, a heart breaker for the Revolution.  Drew Stacy was the starting pitcher for the home team going five innings, giving up 2 runs on four hits while striking out one.  Michael Oswald took the loss pitching one and two thirds innings, allowing 6 runs on 7 hits.  The Revolution totaled nine hits in the game led by Oswald, Stacey, and Braden Cross with  two hits each.

             1     2     3     4     5     6     7     R     H     E

RFLS      0     0     0     0     0     5     6    11    11    3

RVLT      5     0     0     0     1     3     1    10     9     0

     On Saturday, July 4, the Revolution celebrated the holiday by bouncing back from the loss the day before and created some fireworks of their own.  The team was facing the BNBA 16 Gold 16U team.

     The Revolution, as has lately been usual, lit up the scoreboard with 3 runs in the first inning followed by two more runs in the second.  After a couple innings of deep breathing the Revolution struck again with four runs in the fifth and capped their day with 3 more runs in the sixth inning.  The Revolution defense also had a good outing holding the 16 Gold to only one run scored in the fifth inning.  Logan Wills was credited with the 12-1 win, pitching six innings while allowing six hits, one run, and striking out 2.  The offense was led by Tyler West and Logan Petersen, who each drove in big runs in the fifth, and Michael Oswald and Garrett Wayne, who each had two hits in the game.

            1     2     3     4     5     6     7     R     H     E

RVLT     3     2     0     0     4     3     x    12    8     3

BNB1    0     0     0     0     1     0     x     1     6     3

     On Sunday, July 5th, the Revolution played their tournament finale against the Springfield Rifles 17U team for the second time in the tournament.  This game proved to be the Revolutions Achilles Tendon, or one to many games on the weekend as they appeared to have used up all their offensive and defensive skills.  The game was a tough ending to an otherwise very good run for the Revolution.

     The home team tallied no hits or runs in the game, and Michael Oswald sustained the loss, pitching four and two thirds innings, allowing 6 runs on ten hits while striking out only one batter.  The BNB1 team took the 6-0 win.  The Revolution are now 5-8  on the season.

             1     2     3     4     5     6     7     R     H    E

RVLT      0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     2

RFLS      0     0     2     0     4     0     x     6     13   1