Chargers drop opening 2 contests at Region 4 sectional

ROCKFORD — The Sandburg baseball team outhit its opponent in each of its games Friday in the Region 4 sectional, but the Chargers dropped both contests to end their season.

The sixth-seeded Chargers left 13 runners on base in a 17-11 slugfest loss to No. 10 seed Sauk Valley, then stranded a dozen men in a 6-2 setback against No. 3 seed and host Rock Valley to be knocked out of the three-team, double-elimination tournament.

GAME 1
No. 10 Sauk Valley 17, No. 6 Sandburg 11
Sauk Valley   123     060     050     —        17       11       1
Sandburg      200     020     340     —        11       14       9
L – Austin Wiegand 3 IP, 2 K, 2 BB

KEY MOMENT
The Chargers took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of first inning on two-out RBI singles from Frank Kelch and Anthony Nino, but the Skyhawks went ahead 6-2 after the third and put up a six-run fifth to open up a 12-2 advantage.

SANDBURG STANDOUT
Austin Wiegand reached base five times in the contest, going a perfect 4 for 4 with a walk, four runs scored and three RBIs. He singled in the first, singled again in the third, hit a two-run homer in the fifth and added an RBI base hit in the eighth.

OTHER TOP CHARGERS
Frank Kelch — 3 for 5, double, two runs, two RBIs
Nino — 3 for 4, home run, four RBIs

GAME 2
No. 3 Rock Valley 6, No. 6 Sandburg 2
Sandburg      000     010     100     —        2          11       0
Rock Valley   400     010     00x     —        6          9          0
L – David Smith 5 IP, 5 K, 4 BB

KEY MOMENTS
• The host Golden Eagles staked themselves to a 4-0 first-inning lead behind a pair of two-run homers.
• Back-to-back doubles from Derek Castillo and Wiegand got Sandburg on the board in the fifth, and the Chargers loaded the bases in the sixth with one out in the sixth while trailing 5-1. The threat was squashed, however, as Nino was caught trying to swipe home, and Payton Hankins stuck out looking to end the frame.

SANDBURG STANDOUT
Castillo scored twice while going 3 for 4 with a walk. The left fielder singled in the first, drew a base on balls in the third, doubled in the fifth and had a two-out hit in the ninth.

OTHER TOP CHARGERS
• Wiegand — 2 for 5, double, walk
• Chase Mason — 2 for 2, walk
• Cameron Howard — 3 innings, 4 hits, 1 run, 1 walk, 4 strikeouts

REGION 4 DIVISION II SECTIONAL
May 10-11 at Rock Valley
Friday
Game 1 — No. 10 Sauk Valley 17, No. 6 Sandburg 11
Game 2 — No. 3 Rock Valley 6, Sandburg 2
Game 3 — Rock Valley vs. Sauk Valley, 3 p.m.
Saturday
Game 4 — Rock Valley vs. Sauk Valley, 11 a.m.
Game 5 (if necessary) — 2 p.m.

Get text/email notifications of Sandburg Athletics results
Follow @SandburgNJCAA on Twitter
Like @sandburgchargers on Facebook
Follow @sandburgchargers on Instagram