NORMAL, Ill. - The Hawks solidified the first place spot in the Mid-West Athletic Conference standings over the weekend after splitting Saturday's doubleheader with Danville Area Community College. Heartland ends the season series 2-2 against the Jaguars, and sees their record improve to 27-8 on the year, going 14-4 in conference play.
Game 1 (W, 11-3)
The first game of the afternoon would get an early ending, as the Hawks would force an eight-run rule in the fifth inning. Danville's only runs would come in the top of the first inning to take a quick 3-0 lead to start the game.
Danielle Ladendorf brought the Hawks within one run in the bottom of the first inning, doubling down the left field line and scoring
Jasmine McCormick and
Abbey Walsh. The tying run would cross the plate in the third inning when
Laura Phillips was hit by a pitch with bases loaded. With the bases still loaded,
Hannah Talley drove in two more runs on a left field single to give the Hawks a two-run lead on the Jaguars. A batter later,
Jasmine McCormick would clear the bases on a two RBI double that would score
Laura Phillips from second and Talley from first. The fifth inning would see three more runs score for the Hawks to bring the final score to 11-3.
Tijanne Ross (University of Wisconsin - Parkside commit) would throw a complete 5.0 innings, recording her seventh win of the season.
Jasmine McCormick continued her solid year at the plate, scoring two runs on three hits with three RBIs, bringing her season total to 31, tied for most on the team with Maddie Mackie (Northern Illinois University commit) and
Alysa Martin.
Game 2 (L, 1-3)
After an eight-run rule ended Game 1 in the fifth inning, Game 2 saw the Hawks bats quickly cool down, only posting three hits in the game. The Hawks' lone run would come in the bottom of the third inning on a
Hannah Talley ground ball to third baseman Hailee Gifford that would drive in
Grace LaFollett due to a defensive error by Hannah Hopkins. Danville would tie the game up an inning later in the fourth on an RBI double by Brianna Tatar. In the sixth inning, Tatar doubled for the second time of the game, driving in two go-ahead runs to bring the final score to 1-3.
The Hawks will finish the remainder of the 2019 season on the road, and will face Rock Valley College on Wednesday, April 24th at 3:00 PM in Rockford, Illinois.
