PBR DAILY ROUNDUP

May 7

By Drake Skleba

Big 12

Normal Community (11-17; 7-3) stayed in the Big 12 race with a thrilling 4-3 victory over Mattoon (16-10; 4-3) in nine innings on Monday. Ironman Payton Miller squeezed home fellow senior Josh Ashcraft with the game-winner and sent the Ironman Nation home happy.

Ironman senior Marty Salazar picked up the win with 2 2/3 of scoreless relief.  NCHS 6-foot-7, 275-pound senior Randy Heideman (3-4) struck out eight Green Wave batters in his solid 6 1/3 innings of work. The Ironmen have won nine of their last 12 and trail No. 14 Bloomington (22-5; 7-1) and No. 16 Normal West (22-6; 6-2) in the Big 12 title chase.

Mid-Illini

Morton (23-5; 9-2) moved into a tie for first with Limestone (19-4; 9-2) in the M-I with a 4-0 win over Canton on Monday. Potter Christian Dullard fired a two-hitter at the Little Giants. Dakota Hill had a huge two-run double for Morton. Potter Brock Christian went deep for the M-I co-leaders.

Bartonville Limestone (19-4; 9-2) slipped past Dunlap 3-2. Rocket junior Zach Jewell improved to 4-2 on the mound firing a five-hitter at Dunlap with eight strikeouts. Jewell helped his own cause with a big RBI single. On Friday the Rockets beat Washington 4-3 to move into a first-place tie with Morton.

Washington (21-6; 9-3) and Metamora (21-5; 6-3) remain in the thick of the Mid-Illini race.

Mississippi Valley

No. 15 Troy-Triad (23-5; 9-0) routed Jerseyville 13-2 in five innings and clinched the MVC championship on Monday. A nine-run second inning put this one away early as the Knights clinched the MVC crown.

Knight senior A.J. Wise went deep and doubled home four Triad runs to lead the offense. Senior Ty Lewis (6-1) didn’t allow an earned run in his four quality innings of work on the mound, to pick up the win.

Nonconference

No. 20 Harrisburg (23-7) blanked Anna Jonesboro 3-0 in a S. Illinois River-River crossover affair on Monday. John A. Logan-bound Tyler McGowan fired a five-hit shutout with eight strikeouts at the SIRR-Mississippi champs. Anna-Jonesboro falls to (22-7).