June 21, 2008 | LISLE, IL After receiving an extra day off due to Friday’s rainout, the DuPage Dragons pounded out 14 hits Saturday night en route to a 7-1 victory against the Quincy Gems. The win keeps the Dragons in second place in the Central Illinois Collegiate League, improving their record to 7-5. The Gems fell to 6-6 on the year.
Dragons starter Brad Riegler (Illinois-Chicago) silenced the Gems through the first five innings of the game. Although he never retired Quincy in order, he kept them off the scoreboard, striking out three without walking a batter. His toughest inning was the fourth, when, after a sacrifice bunt, the Gems were in business with a runner on third and one out. But with a drawn-in infield, Riegler induced a groundout to short that didn’t allow the runner to score, and then later got another Gems hitter to groundout and end the threat.
The Dragons finally got to business in the bottom of the fifth. Shortstop Pete Capetta (Illinois) started things off with a single, and then was sacrificed to second by third baseman Scott Sexton (Oakland). Another single by centerfielder Justin Wilson (Oakland) put runners on the corners for the Dragons with only one out in the inning. Second baseman Kevin Tokarski (Illinois State) hit an RBI single to rightfield that scored Capetta, but a throwing error by the Gems rightfielder allowed Wilson to score and put Tokarski on third, giving the Dragons two runs on the play. That’s when designated hitter Ryan Duffy (Mississippi State) stepped to the plate. On the first pitch he saw, Duffy hit a shot over the rightfield wall for a two-run homer and a 4-0 Dragons lead.
The Gems scored their only run of the game in the top of the sixth, when back-to-back hits put runners on the corners with one out. A sacrifice fly plated the run, but with two outs, Riegler picked off the runner on first to end the inning.
The Dragons got back to work in the bottom of the seventh. Duffy and catcher Matt Behren (Northern Illinois) started the inning off with consecutive singles. After a fly out and ground out gave the Dragons runners on second and third with two outs, it looked like the Gems would escape the inning unscathed. But a fielding error by the Gems’ second baseman allowed both runners to score, opening up a 6-1 lead for DuPage.
The Dragons would score their final run of the game in the eighth, when another error allowed Justin Wilson to lead off the inning with a base runner for the Dragons. Tokarski followed that up with a single, giving the Dragons runners on first and second with no outs. The next two batters hit sharp line drives, but right at the Quincy fielders and the Gems again looked to escape without a run. But new addition Justin Behm (Northern Illinois) hit a single to left that scored Wilson from second, bringing in the final run for the Dragons.
The DuPage Dragons will take on the Quincy Gems again Sunday afternoon, June 22nd, at 5:05 pm at the Lisle Sports Complex at Benedictine University. Tickets start at $6 with kids five and under admitted free. Group rates are available by calling the Dragons ticket office at 630-241-2255. The Dragons are partnering with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) for the contest. In an effort to help with research on this terrible disease, for every six dollar ticket purchase from
the Juvenile Diabetes research order form, the dragons will donate half to
the research foundation. You can find the order form in the community
section under fundraising events on the Dragons' website (
www.dupagedragons.com). The JDRF will also hold an auction at the ballpark where all the proceeds will go towards the research fund.
Fans can listen to all the DuPage Dragons home and away games this season by going to our website and clicking the microphone [
here ]
