Van Heuklon, Mason Lead Chargers in Sweep at Sauk Valley

DIXON — Powered by big hits from Logan Van Heuklon (Dunlap, Ill./Dunlap) and Chase Mason (Washington, Ill./Washington), the Carl Sandburg College baseball team opened its Arrowhead Conference schedule with a doubleheader sweep Monday at Sauk Valley, winning 2-1 in Game 1 and 9-4 in six innings in Game 2.

GAME 1
Sandburg 2, Sauk Valley 1
Sandburg         000      100      1          —        2          4          2
Sauk Valley      000      001      0          —        1          3          1
W: Ian Donaldson 1.2 IP, 2 K, 0 BB
SV: Chase Mason 1 IP, 0 K, 0 BB

Key Moments
• Tied 1-1 in the seventh, Mason led off with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Mitch Ball (East Peoria, Ill./East Peoria). After Caileb Johnson (Brimfield, Ill./Brimfield) was hit by a pitch, Van Heuklon came up as a pinch hitter and knocked a single to center field to bring in the go-ahead run.
• Mason retired the side in order in the seventh to finish off a victory for the Chargers (5-7, 2-0) in a game that saw just seven combined hits.

Sandburg Standout
Van Heuklon's clutch hit off the bench was one of only four in the contest for Sandburg.

Other Top Chargers
• McKoy Allen (Rutland, Ill./Fieldcrest) — 4.1 innings, 2 hits, 1 run, 1 walk, 9 strikeouts
• Ian Donaldson (Dunlap, Ill./Dunlap) — 1.2 innings, 1 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts

GAME 2
Sandburg 9, Sauk Valley 4
Sandburg         250      002      —        9          10        1
Sauk Valley      000      202      —        4          7          2
W: Jason Hise 3 IP, 5 K, 2 BB

Key Moment
• Already leading 2-0, the Chargers put together a five-run rally in the second. Cam Scott (Mapleton, Ill./Illini Bluffs) doubled in a run, Jack Shields (Peoria, Ill./Notre Dame) brought home two more with a single to center and Mason tagged a two-run homer to left for a 7-0 Sandburg advantage.

Sandburg Standout
Mason finished 3 for 4 with five runs driven in. In addition to his home run, he had an RBI single in the first and a two-run base hit in the sixth.

Other Top Chargers
• Scott — 2 for 3, double, three runs, RBI
• Caileb Johnson — 2 for 4
• Jason Hise (Knoxville, Ill./Knoxville) — 3 innings, 2 runs, 3 hits, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts

TUESDAY VS. SAUK VALLEY PPD
Tuesday's back end of the Chargers' home-and-home series against Sauk Valley was postponed because of inclement weather.

UP NEXT
1 p.m. Wednesday vs. McHenry County

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