Chargers Make it a Perfect 10-0 in Conference After Sweep at Illinois Valley

OGLESBY — Led by pitching wins from a pair of Jacks, the Carl Sandburg College baseball team stayed unbeaten in Arrowhead Conference action with a doubleheader sweep at Illinois Valley on Tuesday afternoon.

With half of their conference schedule complete, the Chargers (15-10, 10-0) are the only team with a perfect record in the league. Sandburg's next Arrowhead matchup is noon Saturday at home against second-place Black Hawk (7-1).

GAME 1
Sandburg 5, Illinois Valley 3
Sandburg         000      030      2          —        5          9          6
Illinois Valley   000      001      2          —        3          4          0
W: Jack Bruington 3 IP, 0 K, 0 BB

Key Moments
• Chase Mason (Washington, Ill./Washington) and Jack Shields (Peoria Heights, Ill./Notre Dame) each connected for two-run home runs as the Chargers built a 5-1 lead going into the bottom of the seventh.
• The Eagles scored twice in the seventh and brought the tying run to the plate, but Jeron Conner (Burlington, Iowa/Notre Dame) fielded a grounder back to the mound for the game's final out.

Sandburg Standout
Jack Bruington (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) pitched three scoreless innings in relief of Avery Leffler (Alexis, Ill./United) to get the victory. Bruington allowed just one hit and worked around a one-out error in the fifth. He threw 24 of 38 pitches for strikes, and six of his nine outs came on groundballs.

Other Top Chargers
• Mason — 2 for 4, double, home run, two runs, two RBIs
• Shields — 2 for 4, double, home run, two RBIs
• Ashton Johnson (Brimfield, Ill./Brimfield) — 2 for 3

GAME 2
Sandburg 10, Illinois Valley 1 (6 innings)
Sandburg         302      032      —        10        12        2
Illinois Valley   100      000      —        1          2          2
W: Jack Barham 6 IP, 8 K, 1 BB

Key Moment
The Chargers struck for three first-inning runs and never trailed. Sandburg took advantage of two Illinois Valley errors, a walk and an RBI single from Logan VanHeuklon (Dunlap, Ill./Dunlap) in the fram.

Sandburg Standout
Jack Barham (Dunlap, Ill./Dunlap) surrendered only an unearned run on two hits and a walk in picking up the complete-game victory. The freshman struck out eight pounded the strike zone, throwing 50 of 64 pitches for strikes while earning his first win.

Other Top Chargers
• Van Heuklon — 3 for 4, double, four RBIs, stolen base
• A Johnson — 2 for 3, walk, run, RBI
• Conner — 2 for 4, run, RBI

UP NEXT FOR SANDBURG
Noon Friday at Joliet 

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