Hankins Stays Hot as Chargers Fall Twice to No. 20 Cobras

RANTOUL — Nationally ranked Parkland pulled away in the final innings of both games to sweep the Carl Sandburg College baseball team Tuesday afternoon at the Rantoul Family Sports Complex.

GAME 1
No. 20 Parkland 18, Sandburg 8 (5 innings)
Sandburg         142      10        —        8          10        1
Parkland          340      (11)x    —        18        12        0
L – Sammy Eisenberg 1 IP, 0 K, 1 BB

KEY MOMENTS
• With the Chargers down 7-5 in the third inning, Payton Hankins knocked a two-run double to center to tie the game. Sandburg then grabbed an 8-7 lead in the top of the fourth when Noah Wolf drew a bases-loaded walk.
• The Cobras quickly tied the game in the bottom half with a leadoff homer, then added 10 more runs in the inning.

SANDBURG STANDOUT
Hankins continued his hot start to the season as he went 3 for 4 and finished a triple shy of the cycle. The sophomore led off the game with a home run, singled in the second and added his two-run double in the third. Hankins totaled two runs and three RBIs out of the leadoff spot. Through eight games this season, Hankins is hitting .350 with a .567 on-base percentage and 1.167 OPS.

OTHER TOP CHARGERS
• Chase Mason — 2 for 4, RBI, stolen base
• Mateo Pena — 2 for 3, home run, two runs, two RBIs

GAME 2
No. 20 Parkland 18, Sandburg 8 (5 innings)
Sandburg         213      20        —        8          6          1
Parkland          450      54        —        18        17        0
L – David Smith 3 IP, 3 K, 4 BB

KEY MOMENT
• Sandburg took an early lead as Will Prince drew a two-out walk in the first, and Austin Wiegand followed with a two-run homer to left.
• The Chargers trailed 9-3 in the third, but RBI singles from Kadin Spencer and Wolf capped a three-run frame. Sandburg then got within 9-8 in the fourth after Derek Castillo drew a bases-loaded walk and Pena drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.
• Parkland scored nine unanswered runs in the final two innings. The Cobras put up five in the fourth and ended the game early with a four-run fifth.

SANDBURG STANDOUT
Wiegand scored three times in the contest. In addition to his first-inning homer, the center fielder walked and scored in the third, and he plated another run in the fourth after reaching on a fielder's choice.

UP NEXT
The Chargers' games scheduled for Friday at home against DuPage have been postponed. The Chargers have added a doubleheader at 1 p.m. Saturday at home against Elgin to the schedule. 

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