During its 10-game win streak, the Macomb High Bomber baseball team has been finding ways to rally for victories.
That continued Thursday evening at Dozer Park in Peoria where the Bombers trailed Abingdon-Avon 11-6 midway through the contest.
But MHS scored the game’s final nine runs in recording a 15-11 victory, upping the win streak to 11 striaght.
Unfortunately for the Bombers, the win streak ended the following evening as visiting Rockridge built a 4-0 lead before hanging on for a 6-5 win at Phil Bradley Field.
“Anytime we can play a good team to get us ready for postseason, we’re going to take the opportunity to do that,” said MHS coach Dustin Lambert.
Macomb moved to 17-14 on the season. Rockridge improved to 18-12, while A-Town dropped to 12-11.
Against A-Town, the Tornadoes scored twice in their first at-bat before the Bombers answered with six runs in the bottom of the second.
Macomb had seven hits in the inning, while also taking advantage of an A-Town error.
Abingdon-Avon responded by scoring five runs in the top of the third before adding four more in the fourth in building an 11-6 lead.
The Bombers cut into the deficit in the bottom of the fourth, scoring three runs.
Isaac Leinbach singled before moving to third on a double by Drew Watson. Leinbach scored and Watson moved to third on a wild pitch.
Emmett Beck walked and move to second on a passed ball. Watson and Beck scored when Nick Elbe doubled to right, making the score 11-9.
The Bombers grabbed the lead in the bottom of the fifth by scoring six times.
Elbe had his second two-run double of the game, while Langdon Lambert had a sacrifice fly. Macomb also took advantage of three singles, two walks and two errors in the inning.
MHS finished with 16 hits, while A-Town had 10 hits, while also committing five errors.
Elbe had three hits, including two doubles, knocking in five runs.
Watson had three hits, including a double, scoring three runs, while Leinbach and Beck added two hits apiece also scoring three runs each.
Langdon Lambert had two runs batted in, while Kaden Knupp and Jake Ogle chipped in two hits each.
“The boys pulled it together,” said Coach Lambert of the streak. “They figured some things out.”
“They took a lot of batting practice and a lot of fielding practice,” he added. “They’re a good group who can hit the ball well.”
Elbe picked up the win in relief. He pitched four innings, allowing two runs on five hits. He struck out five and walked two.
Blaine Eddington started, pitching two-plus innings.He allowed five runs on two hits. Eddington struck out three and walked six.
Ethan Dildine pitched one inning, allowing four runs on three hits. He struck out one, walked three and hit two batters.
Bryson Harn had two hits, including a triple, with three runs batted in for A-Town.
Owen Timmons had two hits, including a double and a triple, with two RBIs.
Evan Hook, Drey Anderson and Lucas Andrew each scored twice for the Tornadoes.
Anderson pitched three innings, allowing nine runs, three earned, on 11 hits. He struck out one and walked one.
Justin Keener also pitched three innings, allowing six runs, three earned on five hits. He struck out six and walked two.
Against Rockridge, the visiting Rockets scored twice in the first inning before adding three runs in the second to build a 4-0 advantage.
“We had a couple of misplayed baseballs that led to a couple of runs for them,” said Coach Lambert. “Good teams will capitalize on errors, that’s for sure.”
Macomb scored its first run in the bottom of the fourth on a Langdon Lambert sacrifice fly before Rockridge answered with a run in the top of the fifth.
Both teams tallied single runs in the sixth inning, leaving the Bombers down 6-2 entering the bottom of the seventh.
Jaxon Barclay and Leighton Lambert opened the inning with back-to-back doubles for a run.
Courtesy runner Tyler Shultz scored one out later on a base hit by Watson, making the score 6-4.
Watson moved to second on an error and scored on a base hit to center by Langdon Lambert that made it 6-5.
With runners on first and second and two outs, Kaden Knupp struck out to end the game.
Rockridge out-hit Macomb 12-7 with the Bombers committing five errors. The Rockets finished with two errors.
Langdon Lambert had two hits and three runs batted in, while Watson added three hits, three runs scored and an RBI.
Barclay pitched three innings, allowing four runs, two earned, on six hits. He struck out one and walked one.
Watson pitched four innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on six hits. He struck out four, walked one and hit two batters.
“We’ve got to stay with playing good, clean baseball,” said Coach Lambert. “With no errors, the game goes a different way.”
Tanner Dye had two hits and two RBIs for Rockridge. Magnum Chisholm and Payten Downing added two hits each.
Four Rockridge pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts.
“Their pitchers had good velocity and mixed it up well,” said Coach Lambert. “Hat’s off to them.”
Macomb plays host to its own Illinois High School Association Class 2A Regional this week at Phil Bradley Field.
“It’s good to host,” said Coach Lambert. “It’s definitely a home field advantage.”
In Monday’s opening round, the Bombers were scheduled to face West Hancock (7-17). Meanwhile, LVC (16-14) was slated to play at Canton (10-18).
The semifinals are slated to be played Wednesday at Phil Bradley Field with top-seeded Eureka (29-4) facing the LVC/Canton winner at 4 p.m. before Illini West (25-10) faces the Macomb/ West Hancock winner at 6 p.m.
The semifinal winners will play for the regional title Saturday at 11 a.m.
