June 6, 2008 | QUINCY, IL The DuPage Dragons didn’t have trouble scoring in their first contest of the year, as they defeated the Quincy Gems by a score of 13-9. Several Dragons had multi-hit games, but the star of the show was first baseman Phil Wunderlich (Louisville), who went 4-for-5 with three runs batted in while also scoring three times.
The Dragons struck early as they put two on the board in the first inning. Centerfielder Justin Wilson (Oakland) led off with a walk and came around to score on the first of Wunderlich’s three singles. After a single from designated hitter Nate Pettus (Eastern Oklahoma State CC) moved him to second, Wunderlich came around to score on a Jordan Tokarz (Eastern Illinois) single through the right side for the early 2-0 lead.
Gems starter Shane Zegarac couldn’t get out of the second inning as the Dragons put up another five runs to take a big 7-0 lead. Second basemen Pete Capetta (Illinois) lead off the inning with a single, stole second, and eventually came around to score on rightfielder Dave Reynolds’s rbi single to left. Reynolds (Northern Illinois) & Wilson, who reached base with his second walk in as many at bats, both scored on Wunderlich’s big double to right center. After back-to-back walks to Pettus and third basemen Scott Sexton (Oakland), the shortstop Tokarz picked up his second RBI of the season when his sacrifice fly scored Wunderlich from third. The Dragons capped the inning on catcher Matt Behren’s (Northern Illinois) RBI single.
Dragons starter Tom Filip (Baylor) was in cruise control to start the contest. Through the first five innings, his only blemish was a Jon Myers solo shot in the fourth. The Dragons got the run back, and plenty more in the top half of the fifth.
The Dragons plated six runs in the inning, as they batted around for the second time in the contest. The big RBI hits came from Reynolds (2 run single), Pettus (sacrifice fly), and Behren (bases loaded 3-rbi double).
Although the Dragons had a commanding 13-2 lead after six innings, the Gems weren’t ready to lie down. They finally chased Filip after scoring six runs in the seventh, 3 of them earned. Myers dealt the biggest blow with his second homer of the contest, a 2-run shot to left center that brought the score to 13-8. But Dragons relievers Tom Zelasko (Northern Illinois) and Brad Riegler (Illinois-Chicago) held the Gems to only one run over the final 2 1/3 innings.
Filip went 6 2/3 innings giving up eight runs, four earned for the win, his first of the season. Zegarac was the loser, going 1 1/3 innings and giving up five runs.
The Dragons and Gems go at it again tomorrow night in Quincy. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30pm.
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