The Washington Wild Things took home another series win Sunday, splitting a doubleheader with the Rockford Aviators. Washington won the first game, 12-7, but dropped the second one, 4-3.
The doubleheader began with a bang for Washington, which scored six of its 12 runs in the opening inning. Stewart Ijames got things started with a bases loaded two RBI-single. Carter Bell, William Beckwith and Garrett Rau all drove in runs to take a quick 6-0 lead.
Rockford would add runs in the first, third and fourth but still trailed, 7-3 going into the 5th inning. Washington would add two more runs on a Rau double in the fifth and then three more runs on an Ijames home run.
Trailing 12-4 in the seventh and final inning, the Aviators would attempt to mount a comeback. After back-to-back walks to start the inning, Rockford would score three straight runs to bring the game within 12-7 but Washington would escape with a victory.
Shawn Blackwell (2-0) picked up the win on the mound, going 6.0 innings, allowing four runs on nine hits while striking out two. At the dish, Ijames went 2-for-4 with five RBIs on the night.
In the second game of the doubleheader, Washington wasn’t as lucky, falling, 4-3.
In a closer game, Washington scored first again on a Nick Ratajczak squeeze bunt. Daniel Poma and Scott Kalamar would then each provide RBIs to put Washington up, 3-0.
That would be the only runs they would score, though.
Down 3-1 in the bottom of the fifth, Rockford scored three runs on two hits and took a 4-3 lead. From there, the Aviators would hold Washington to just one hit in the final two innings to hold on for the win.
Pat Butler (1-1) took the loss after giving up the Aviator’s fourth run of the game. Washington mustered just four hits with Poma, Kalamar, Beckwith and Rau collecting hits.
In the first game of the series, played back on Friday, Washington won, 3-1.
With a scoreless game in the fourth inning, Ijames drew a leadoff walk and later scored on a Deckwith double to put Washington up, 1-0. After Rockford tied things up in the seventh, Washington would score runs in the eighth and ninth to pull ahead and hold on to a 3-1 victory. Poma was hit by a pitch in the eighth to walk in a run and Beckwith singled to drive in his second run of the game.
Jonathan Kountis sat down the Aviators in order in the ninth to record his eighth save of the season while Butler picked up the win on the mound after coming in in relief for Alex Kaminsky, who started and pitched 6.2 innings, allowing a single run on four hits. Neither Butler not Kountis allowed a hit. At the plate, Beckwith with 2-for-5 with two RBIs while Poma,Rau and CJ Beatty each collected two hits.
Washington is back at home Wednesday when the Wild Things host the Schaumburg Boomers in a doubleheader beginning at 6:05 p.m.
Photo Credit: Washington Wild Things
