NORMAL, Ill. - Around 3,000 children from Bloomington-Normal area schools would attend Tuesday's Education Day matchup against the Heartland Hawks and Triton College. A late-inning rally by Triton would force the game into extra innings, where the Hawks would edge the Trojans in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the 11th inning. The Hawks improve to 29-16 on the year going into the final regular season series against Lewis & Clark Community College.  

Heartland would use nine different pitchers throughout the 11 inning game, with Bloomington, Illinois native Jack Gilmore getting the start on the mound. Gilmore would throw 2.0 innings, allowing two runs on three hits, striking out two of the 13 batters he faced before Shane Gorman would be called in for relief. Gorman would throw 2.0 innings, as well, allowing one run on no hits. Seven more pitchers would be utilized to pick up the win, each throwing no more than 1.1 innings each, with freshman Tyler Willman picking up the win, bringing his record to 2-0 on the season. 

After a scoreless first inning, Triton would score two in the top of the second on an RBI single by Jeff Morton that would score Mitch Hundley, and another run would score on an error. In the bottom half of that inning, Matt Barnes would put the Hawks on the board with a sacrifice fly to center firld that would score Normal West High School alum Peyton Dillingham from third to bring the Hawks within one. 

Another run would score for the Trojans in the top of the fourth inning on a ground out by Jeff Morton that would score Bryant Diel from third, giving the visitors a two-run lead going into the bottom of the fourth. The Hawks would go on to tie the game at three in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI single from Matt Barnes, and a bases loaded walk that would score the game-tying run. 

Triton would take the lead once again in the top of the fifth, scoring on a Neil Freeman RBI double to left field. This would be the last time the Trojans would have the lead in the game, as the Hawks would score four in the bottom of the fifth, all four runs scoring with two outs in the inning. The first run of the inning was scored as Shakur Jackson was hit by a pitch with bases loaded, bringing home Levi Ransom and keeping the bases loaded. Another run would score on an error committed by Triton catcher Mitch Hundley that would see Austin Cain steal home. Xavier University commit Sam Olson would drive another run in on an infield ground ball that would score Matt Barnes. The final run of the inning would come from Normal West High School alum Jake Marti, whose RBI single to right field would score Shakur Jackson and give the Hawks a three-run lead going into the sixth inning. 

The Hawks would score three more runs in the bottom of the sixth, all coming from RBI singles by Matt Barnes, Shakur Jackson and Sam Olson, giving the Hawks a comfortable six-run lead late in the game. 

No runs would score in the seventh inning as Huntley Hacker's solid outing on the mound that inning would see Triton record only one hit. The next inning would see Brett Taucher come in for Hacker, who would give up three runs on one hit as the Trojans cut the deficit to three runs. The first run of the inning would come from a bases loaded walk that would score Bryant Diel, and the next two would score on a wild pitch.

In the top of the ninth inning, Triton would again score three runs to tie the ball game up at 10 runs a piece. After recording two strikeouts, freshman Ben Cornelius would also record two walks in the inning, giving the Trojans two runners on base with Jeff Morton at the plate. Morton would then hit a three-run homerun to right field, giving the Hawks the opportunity to win in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the ninth. 

Unable to score in the bottom of the ninth inning, extra innings would be required to decide a winner. For the first time since the fourth inning, Triton would take the lead on a Mason Schaller sacrifice fly to center field that would score Bobby Grimes from third. The Hawks would quickly tie the game back up in the bottom half of the inning, as Zeb Roos lead the charge with a lead-off triple to give Jake Zylman a runner in scoring position with his at bat. Zylman would take advantage and would line a single to center field, scoring Roos from third. 

Tied in the top of the 11th, the Hawks ninth pitcher of the game, Tyler Willman, would take the mound. Willman would strike out one, and force two more batters into ground outs, retiring the side with ease. The bottom of the inning would see lead-off batter Maurey Garrett reach base on a single to center field. A batter later, Sam Olson would reach on a fielder's choice, advancing Garrett to second, bringing Jake Marti to the plate. Like the two batters before, Marti would reach base on a single, loading the bases for designated hitter Luke Price. With no outs and three runners on base, Luke Price lined a hit into right field, scoring the game-winning run and winning the game on a walk-off single. 

The Hawks return home on Saturday, May 11th at 1:00 PM for their final two home games of the regular season against Mid-West Athletic Conference opponent Lewis & Clark Community College. You can live stream all home games by clicking here, and follow along with live stats by clicking here