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Collegiate Baseball in Bloomington-Normal, Illinois | part of the Midwest Collegiate League

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Bobcats to Face Hounds in Playoffs

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With a final record of 19-22, the Bobcats slated fourth place in Midwest Collegiate League standings and landed the league’s final playoff bid.

The DuPage County Hounds held the top spot for the second year in a row as the Joliet Admirals and Northwest Indiana Oilmen finished behind them in second and third respectively.

Playoffs will begin for all four teams this Tuesday as both sets of teams will gear up for a three game series. The one seed will play the four seed and the two seed will play the three seed in semi-final games ending on Thursday with the winners advancing to play the championship series this Friday.

Bloomington’s first opponent will be top-seeded Hounds. The Hounds (29-19) clinched home field advantage as they host the Cats tomorrow at 5:00pm in Lemont and then again on Thursday for the ‘if necessary’ game three. Game two will be held at Illinois Wesleyan University’s Jack Horenberger Field at 6:15pm.

On the season, the matchup between the Hounds and the Bobcats stands at 5-8, favoring the Hounds.

On the rubber for the Bobcats will be hurler, Nick Brune (IWU, 4-4, 5.16ERA). Brune is 2-3 against the Hounds this year however in his last two outings against the Hounds he has allowed less than three earned runs while striking out ten.

Bobcats have won six of their last ten and look to extend the season into the championship series this weekend. First pitch will be at 5:00pm at Lemont High School Complex.

 

Bobcats go to Extras Twice, Series Finale with Hounds

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This week the Bobcats have been entrenched in a tight four-game series with the DuPage County Hounds in which the series stands 2-1 in favor of DuPage.

In game one, senior pitcher Brian Henry dominant to say the least as he pitched nine innings allowing only one earned run on six hits while fanning four batters.

“He was excellent. He only let up one free pass and we didn’t make any errors in the field we just didn’t have it in the bullpen. But if we can keep up that pace we will be in position to win a lot of games” said pitching coach, Clint Stroud.

Reliever, Blade Matthews came on in the 10th to shut the door to extend the game for the Cats but surrendered a 2-out double off the bat of Joe Engel for the Hounds to win in walk-off fashion.

Games two and three were played on Wednesday in doubleheader format of two-seven inning games.

Lucas Hall (ISU) started game 2 in which he lasted six innings letting up ten runs where only five of which earned.

The bats were quiet for the Cats who only scored two runs to the Hounds ten. Not to mention the Bobcats were guilty of three key errors throughout the game.

The nightcap of the doubleheader was decided by another extra-inning bout, this time in Bobcat favor.

Nick Brune started the game and went all seven innings of regulation until handing it over to Matthews again in extra innings. Brune allowed only two earned runs on six hits striking out six Hound hitters.

With two men on and two out in the bottom of the 8th and Joe Engel looking to be the hero in extra innings again, Matthews struck out Engel to earn his first career save in a Bobcat uniform.

Brune earned his second straight win and fourth this summer as a Bobcat.

As for tonight, Mitch Weis (2-3, 2.45ERA) will be on the hill for the Bobcats as they take on the Hounds in the series finale at O’Neil Park in Bloomington.

Cats are currently tied with Southland for the fourth and final spot in the playoff push with a record of 15-20.

First pitch will be at 5:30 tonight as the Bobcats make their final run for the playoffs.

 

 

Bobcats in 2016 All-Star Game, Second Half of Season

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For the first time in MCL history, the Bloomington Bobcats were represented in the All-Star game ending last night in a 10-2 victory for the Blue Team.

Managed by former Lexington Snipes coach, Billy DuBois, the MCL White All-Stars were compiled of 11 Oilmen, 6 Vikings and 6 Bobcats.

Cody Rogers, Mitch Weis, Grant Anderson, Pat Mollo, Kody Silverthorn and Garrett Shea were the 6 Bobcats represented, and they represented the Bobcats lustrously both on the mound and at the plate.

In batting practice, the White All-Stars made a habit of launching baseballs over the 50-ft tall left field. However, the game ended with the runner-up accumulated only 2 runs on 6 hits in which Bobcat jerseys took plenty credit for.

Singles were acquired by Rogers, Anderson and Mollo while Shea drove Mollo in on a sac-fly to center to score the first run for the White team. Shea also reached base by a hit-by-pitch in his second at bat.

On the hill, Weis and Silverthorn both pitched the 2nd and 7th innings respectively and only threw 20 pitches combined in two innings pitched.

In the second, Weis sat down 3 out of 4 only allowing a 2-out base hit to right field with zero runs scored. As for the seventh, Silverthorn hurled 12 pitches, striking out two and allowing zero runs scored. Weis and Silverthorn chalked up 2 of the 5 scoreless innings for the White All-Stars.

Heading into the second half of the season, the Bobcats stand in a solid position to get back to .500 and earn their place in the post season.

After dropping 8 straight in the league, the Cats have won 3 straight to set their mark to 13-14.

Standing 1 whole game behind the Admirals and 0.5 games above the Vikings, the race to stay in the playoffs will remain tight.

The Cats will continue their season tomorrow as they will host the DuPage County Hounds at O’Neil Park in Bloomington.

 

Bobcats Fall to the Oilmen 7-3

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Coming into the game tonight, the Senior pitcher Mitch Weis had not yet lost to the Northwest Indiana Oilmen.

The Oilmen came into town well tuned in all facets of the game.

Weis gave up a solo home run in the first and reliever Blade Matthews gave up a three-run jack in the seventh.  Both bombs came off the bat of Tyler Sroczynski (Trinity Christian) tallying four runs batted in for the outfielder. Also fueling the offensive fire for the Oilmen was Stefano Belmonte (Florida Gulf Coast) went 3 for 4 and tallied 1 RBI.

Playing the role of Bobcat-stopper was Jordan Petty (Purdue Northwest). Petty held the Bobcats to three hits and three runs. Only allowing four walks was the key for Petty as he fanned eleven Bobcats through seven innings.

The only Bobcats with hits were Cody Rogers, Ryan Scott and Garrett Shea. Wildly enough, each of the three hits were doubles.

The Bobcats have now lost eight straight games and are looking for answers.

Season continues tomorrow at O’Neil Park as the Bobcats host the Joliet Admirals at 6:00PM.