News Releases

8-26-2008

Head Coach Matt Kennedy has announced that Parkland College Baseball will be hosting a High School Fall Baseball Showcase on Sunday, October 12th from 10am to 1pm. The camp will allow prospective student-athletes to showcase their talent in front on the Parkland College baseball coaching staff. Players should bring their own equipment and the cost of the camp will be $40 per player as they will receive a camp t-shirt. To print out a registration form please click on the link below.

2008 High School Fall Showcase Camp

5-16-08

Parkland freshman outfielder Kevin Crane came up the big winner in post-season awards named by the M-WAC and Region 24 after a coaches vote. Crane was named First Team All-Conference, All-Region, and All-District, and will be an All-American nominee. Crane led the team in hitting with a .459 batting average as well as 12 HR's and 58 RBI. His average is the third highest in Cobra history behind only Dave Wise who hit .493 in 1981 and Zach Skidmore .460 in 2007. He was the runner-up as the M-WAC Freshman of the Year and was a top three finisher in Player of the Year voting.

Crane was joined as a first team All-MWAC honoree by sophomore pitcher Spencer Patton. Patton finished 9-2 with a 3.79 ERA walking just 13 batters while striking out 72 in just 57 innings of work. Opponent hitters batted just .240 on the season as he appeared in 13 games, 9 as a starter.

Three Parkland players earned Honorable Mention recognition. They include sophomore outfielder Nathan Weglarz who hit .412 with 5 HR and 34 RBI and 17 stolen bases. He also led the team with 24 doubles, a mark that places him second in school history in that category. Second baseman Calvin Frey (.354 3 HR 30 RBI) and catcher Rich Ruff ( .397 5 HR 40 RBI) also were selected in a vote of conference coaches.

The Cobras ended the season (37-16-1) after losing to Springfield College 5-4 in the Region 24 title game on Monday.

5-14-08

Springfield College scored the winning run in the bottom of the 9th inning as the Bulldogs edged Parkland 5-4 to win their second straight Region 24 title. The Cobras has earned a spot in the championship game earlier in the day by rallying to knock off Heartland 5-3. PC ends the season at (38-16-1) while SCI advances to play the Longview/Forest Park winner and a spot at the NJCAA World Series.

Listed below are recaps of the Region 24 games:

PC 4 Heartland 3

Spencer Patton pitched 7 strong innings allowing just two earned runs while striking out nine and Israel Martinez picked up the win working a perfect final two innings as the Cobras held on to beat the Hawks. PC grabbed an early 3-0 lead only to see the Hawks rally to tie the score before the Cobras won it in the 9th. Nathan Weglarz led off with a single, moved to second on a wild pitch, and was sacrificed to third by Caleb King. HCC intentionally walked Kevin Crane and Michael Bradburn to load the bases but Hawks reliever Jimmy Suits walked Elliott Pisarczyk to force in the winning run. Martinez issued a one-out walk before striking out the side to get the win. Crane and Weglarz each had three hits in the game while Bradburn drove in a pair of runs.

Springfield 7 PC 4

PC jumped out to a 3-0 lead but SCI rallied late for the victory. The Cobras struck three times in the first on an RBI single by Crane and a two-run blast off the bat of Bradburn. SCI rallied to tie it with three runs in the fourth and took control of the game with a three run outburst in the seventh. Alex Urbas two run double was the big blow. Bradburn was the only PC player with multiple hits gathering 2 hits and 2 RBI.

Parkland 5 Heartland 3

Rich Ruff's two-run home run in the top of the 9th broke a 3-all tie to send the Cobra into the title game. The game was started on Saturday night but was suspended due to rain in the 7th inning with the Cobras down a run. Rain and wind canceled the game again on Sunday before the two team's resumed play Monday afternoon. Ruff tied the game with an RBI double in the 7th before hitting the game winning blast. Israel Martinez again came up big working three innings of outstanding relief striking out six, including the final four hitters in the game.

SCI 5 Parkland 4

JD Long's single between short and third drove home Joel Washko with the winning run to send SCI to the title. PC went ahead early on a two-run single by Lance Hanmer before SCI scored three times in the third to grab a one-run lead. The game stayed tied until the 7th when Thomas Norris led off with a single and scored one out later on a double by Caleb King. In the top of the 8th, Jordan Mitchelhill was called on to pinch hit and he hit a solo shot to give PC a 4-3 lead. Greg VanLeer answered right back for SCI with a solo shot of his own to lead off the bottom of the inning. PC was retired in order in their half of the ninth before Long delivered his game winning hit.

5-4-08

The Parkland Baseball team scored 12 runs over the first three innings and cruised to a 15-0 win over Lincoln Land on Sunday to win the PC Sub-Regional. The victory moves the Cobras (35-14-1) into the Region 24 Tourney next Friday-Sunday at Lanphier Park in Springfield. A combination of timely hitting and strong stating pitching was the key to PC's success over the weekend. PC scored 42 runs and pounded out 60 hits while all three Cobra starters went at least seven innings and allowed only five earned runs.

On Sunday, PC scored six runs in the second on just three hits, one on a 2-run blast by Kevin Crane. The Cobras tallied six more runs in the third with Crane driving in two more runs with a single. Meanwhile Cobra starter Steve Kuligowski (3-0) was shutting down the Loggers allowing just five hits and striking out eight. Max Friedman relieved in the eighth and struck out four of the six hitters he faced.

Hitting stars for day were Nathan Weglarz (3-6 3 runs 2 RBI), Caleb King (2-3 2 runs 2 RBI), Rich Ruff (3-3 2 2 RBI), Lance Hanmer (2-4 2 runs), and Elliott Pisarczyk (2-5 2 RBI). For the three games Weglarz was (11-17) Crane (8-15), Ruff (10-13), and Martin (5-12).

4-28-08

The big inning proved to be the down fall as the ICC Cougars took all three games from the Parkland Baseball team over the weekend dropping the Cobras out of the conference title chase and into third place with just two days remaining in the regular season. The Cobras lost on Sunday 6-5 after falling to ICC 14-10 and 10-8 on Saturday in East Peoria.

In Sunday's home game, PC broke a 2-2 tie and took a 4-2 lead into the 8th when Dan Kuhne stroked a single to right to drive in a pair of runs. But just like they did on Saturday, ICC answered right back tying the game on a two-run home run by Kory Donaldson and going ahead on a two-run double by Drew Koeppel. PC cut the lead to one when Kuhne singled in another run in the bottom of the 9th but pinch-hitter Jordan Mitchelhill grounded out with the tying run on base to end the game. Nathan Weglarz and Kevin Crane both had two hits while Elliott Pisarczyk scored twice.

ICC 14 PC 10

ICC scored 10 runs in the bottom of the first inning after Kevin Crane had put the Cobras up 3-0 with a home run in the top of the inning. ICC's Mark McIntryre and Brandon England both stroked three run home runs to key the uprising. PC answered right back when Crane hit his 11th home run of the year, another three-run shot to make it 10-7, but PC could get no closer the rest of the way. Crane was 2-3 with 2 HR and 6 RBI for the game while Nathan Weglarz had 3 hits and Caleb King added 2 hits and 2 RBI.

ICC 10 PC 8

Brandon England capped an amazing day as the ICC star went 4-4 and drove in 5 runs as the Cougars rallied to win. On the day, England had seven hits, drove in 10 runs, and scored five times. Tied at 2, PC scored four times in the top of the third only to see ICC come right back with four of their own. Trailing 9-6, PC closed the deficit to one, on a two-run home run by Brooks Martin, but the Cougars scored an insurance run in the 5th and PC stranded the tying runs on base in the seventh. Weglarz and Martin each collected three hits in the game while Crane and Pisarczyk added a pair of hits.

4-21-08

The Heartland Hawks scored early and often Monday to build an 11-2 lead and then held on for a 12-9 win over Parkland in a key M-WAC baseball game. The Hawks touched losing pitcher Spencer Patton (8-1) for six runs in three plus innings handing him is first defeat of the season. On the other side, winning pitcher Ryan Juris (5-0) held PC scoreless over the first four innings before putting up a pair of runs in the fifth.

For the third straight game the Cobras rallied, this time closing the margin to 11-8 and had the tying run at the plate in both the bottom of the 8th and 9th innings but could get no closer. In the eighth, PC scored twice before Michael Bradburn line out to the warning track in center and in the ninth, after pushing across a run, Nathan Weglarz lined hard to center with two men on base to end the game.

Thomas Norris drove in three of the Cobras nine runs while Kevin Crane and Caleb King each had two hits and two RBI. Lance Hanmer also had two hits and scored twice while Nathan Weglarz added to base knocks. Andrew Parsill led HCC going 4-5 with 3 RBI and four of his teammates all drove in a pair of runs with a 17-hit attack.

The loss drops PC (29-11 17-6) into a first place tie with Springfield College (26-9 16-5) pending the outcome of their game tonight versus ICC. Heartland improves to (25-11 15-6) and moves to within a game of first place in the conference with just a little over a week to go. Parkland will return to action tomorrow afternoon when they host Spoon River for two games starting at 2:00.

4-19-08

Calvin Frey doubled off the left centerfield wall in the bottom of the 7th inning chasing home Rich Ruff and Dan Kuhne with the tying and winning runs as the Cobras scored six times to rally and beat DACC 10-9. Coupled with the Cobras 10-4 win in game one, PC picked up two key conference wins to stay near the top of the race.

In the wild finale, PC trailed 9-4 headed to their last at-bat and got a lead-off single from Nathan Weglarz chasing Jaguars starting pitcher Tyler Kilburn. PC greeted DACC reliever Ryan Welty with back to back singles before Michael Bradburn flew out to the warning track in center. Elliott Piszarczyk followed with an RBI single to make it 9-6 and then Rich Ruff was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Pinch-hitter Dan Kuhne grounded into what appeared to be a game ending double play but the Jaguar shortstop misplayed the ball allowing two runs to score and helped set up Frey's game winning hit. The rally made a winner of Mark Walther (3-0) who worked 2 plus innings of relief allowing no earned runs and just three hits. Frey wand Weglarz each had three hits for PC while Caleb King, Kevin Crane, Pisarczyk, and Ruff each collected two hits in the contest.

PC trailed in game one 1-0 going to the fourth before scoring three times and adding six more in the fifth to take a 9-1 lead. Rich Ruff and Calvin Frey each were 3-4 with 2 runs scored and an RBI while Weglarz and Brooks Martin each drove in a pair of runs. Kory Rombold (4-2)earned the win going 5.1 innings and allowing three earned runs while striking out four. Parkland (28-10 16-5) will travel to Danville (18-14 11-9) for a single game on Sunday starting 1:00.

4-20-08

For the second straight game the Parkland Baseball team had to rally in their final at bat to stun rival Danville, winning by the score of 12-10.
One day after rallying from a 9-4 deficit to pull out a 10-9 win the Cobras found themselves down 7-0 after just two innings. PC scratched back to tie it at 7 only to see the Jaguars take a 10-8 lead into the 9th. Parkland left fielder Kevin Crane led off the inning with a long blast over the left field wall to cut the lead to one. Michael Bradburn followed witha double and Thomas Norris walked on four pitches. Rich Ruff was called on to sacrifice the two runners but the DACC pitcher tried to cut down the tying run at third but threw the ball into the left field corner allowing two runs to score. Lance Hanmer sacrificed Ruff to 3rd and he later scored on a balk. Parkland reliever Brooks Martin (4-3) retired the side in order in the bottom of the inning to earn the victory. The sophomore worked three innings allowing no hits while striking out four. Martin came on in relief of John Perkins who kept the Cobras in the game giving up no earned runs in 4 plus innings of work and struck out eight.

Crane was the big hitter for PC going 4-5 with 3 RBI and 3 runs scored including a home run, his seventh of the season. Nathan Weglarz went 3-4 with 2 runs and Michael Bradburn was 3-5 with a pair of runs scored while Rich Ruff drove in two. The hard fought win improves #19 Parkland to (29-10 17-5) a half-game ahead of Springfield College in the battle for first place while DACC drops to (18-15 11-10). Next up for PC is Heartland at 3:00 on Monday at PC.

4-17-08

Michael Bradburn went 3-4 and drove in 6 runs to back the strong pitching of Steve Kuligowski and John Perkins as the #19 ranked PC baseball team pounded league leading and #7 Springfield College 14-1 to move within a half game of first place in the M-WAC with just under two weeks left in the regular season.

The Cobras took control of the game early scoring three times in the first as Bradburn chased two runs home with an RBI single. PC tacked on three more in the second, and put the game away scoring three times in the fourth and five times in the fifth. Other hitting stars for PC were Kevin Crane who went 3-3 with 3 runs scored and 3 RBI, Caleb King who was 4-5 and scored four runs, and Elliott Pisarczyk who had two hits and 2 runs batted in.

Kuligowski, a freshman left-hander, worked the first five innings allowing one run on six hits and struck out four. John Perkins worked the final two innings giving up just one hit and striking out three. After a much needed day off, Parkland (26-10 14-5) will return to action this weekend with a three game series versus rival DACC (18-12 11-7).

4-16-08

For almost two years Cobra sophomore Brooks Martin has been one of Parkland's top hurlers but on Thursday, in his first start as a position player, Martin was the hitting star. The Streator native hit a first pitch fastball well over the left field wall in his first at bat of the season and stayed hot going 4-6 with 3 runs scored and 4 RBI to lead the Parkland Baseball team to a 19-8 win over Lincoln College. Parkland pounded out 19 runs on 19 hits in improving to (25-10 13-5) while the Lynx fell to (8-17 5-12).

PC trailed 4-3 heading to the fifth when they scored four times to take control of the game. Martin and Nathan Weglarz each had two run singles to key the rally. After Lincoln cut the lead to 7-6, PC scored 12 runs over the final three innings to pull away. Elliott Pisarczyk drove in 3 runs, two coming on a home run, and Drew Brooks scored three times and drove in a pair to key the uprising. For the day hitting stars included: Weglarz who went 3-5 with 4 RBI, and Caleb King who was 2-4 with 2 RBI and an inside-the park home run. Kevin Crane, and Calvin Frey also had two hits each and Lance Hanmer scored four times.

Gerry Martinez (2-0) earned the victory with three solid innings of work in relief of starter Dan Clifford while Michael Laird worked a scoreless final inning to wrap up the win. Parkland gets right back at it on Thursday with a single game against league leading and #7 ranked Springfield College in a game to be played at Lanphier Park in Springfield. The two teams split a doubleheader on Tuesday.

4-15-08

The Parkland Baseball team knocked seven home runs out of Illinois Field on Tuesday afternoon but could only come away with a split, winning game one 12-0 but falling in the finale 5-3. Parkland rushed out to a 7-0 lead hitting three home runs in the bottom of the first. Nathan Weglarz opened the scoring with a shot to left center, Caleb King walked on four pitches ahead of Kevin Crane's shot over the 400 foot sign in center to make it 3-0. Lance Hanmer's line drive over the NCAA sign in right put the Cobras up 7-0 which was more than enough runs for winning pitcher Spencer Patton (8-0). Patton, held the Bulldogs to just three hits while walking one and striking out three. PC scored four more times in the second off losing pitcher David Miller (5-1), two coming on Crane's blast over the scoreboard in left and another on a solo homer by Michael Bradburn. Crane finished the game 3-3 with RBI while Hanmer was 2-2 with 4 RBI. Patrick Sheehan had 2 of SCI's three hits.

In game two, PC jumped ahead 1-0 on Crane's third home run of the day and led 2-1 before SCI scored three times in the third. Alex Urbas tied the game with an RBI single, and the go ahead run scored on a fielders choice by Michael Hurt. PC cut the lead to 4-3 on a Lance Hanmer homer but SCI answered back with an unearned run in the sixth. The Cobras threatened in the seventh getting the first two men on, but Bulldog reliever Matt Miller struck out the next two hitters and got an infield ground out to seal the victory. Randy Piper (3-0) picked up the win and Miller earned his third save while Brooks Martin (3-3) took the loss. Lance Hanmer was 2-2 with 2 runs scored for PC while Greg VanLeer had 2 hits and Michael Reese scored twice for SCI. With the split, the Bulldogs (24-7 14-3) kept their two game lead over the Cobras (24-10 12-5). Next up for PC will be a 3:00 single game at Lincoln on Wednesday afternoon.

3-30-08

Parkland pounded out 27 runs and 30 hits on Saturday to sweep Lewis and Clark 10-6 and 17-1 in a pair of M-WAC contests. The Cobras rallied from a 6-4 deficit in game 1, scoring four times, in the bottom of the 4th and two more in the 5th to make a winner of Mark Walther (2-0) who allowed just one hit and no runs in 3 and 1/3 innings of relief. Brett VanAsldlen's two-run single in the 4th put the Cobras ahead to stay. VanAsdlen had 2 hits and 3 RBI in the contest while Kevin Crane went 4-4 with 3 runs scored and 2 RBI.

Eight straight Cobra hitters started game two with base hits as PC exploded for 15 runs on 13 hits in the opening inning to cruise to the win. Five different players had two hits in the inning, led by Calvin Frey who had a grand slam home run and two runs scored. Caleb King had 3 hits and 3 runs scored, Crane went 3-4 with 4 RBI, and Lance Hanmer and Brett VanAsdlen each had two hits and two RBI.

John Perkins (1-2) worked three innings to pick up the win with relief help from Gerry Martinez and Michael Laird.
The wins improve PC to (17-5 5-0) while Lewis and Clark falls to (9-4 4-2). The two teams will complete their three game series with a single game tomorrow at 1:00 at L&C.

3-26-08

Parkland scored three times each in the first and third innings and hung on for an 8-4 win and a series sweep of Shawnee. The win improved the Cobras, winner's of 15 of their last 16 games, to (15-5 3-0) while Shawnee fell to (4-7 0-5).

The Cobras did most of their damage on Wednesday after two were out. In the first, Kevin Crane reached on a two-out single, Brett VanAsdlen walked, and Michael Bradburn followed with an RBI single. Rich Ruff plated two more runs with a triple into the right field corner. Caleb King made it 4-0 Cobras with a solo home run leading off the fifth before Shawnee got on the board with a run in the sixth and two more in the seventh. King raced home on a wild pitch to put PC ahead 5-3 in the bottom of the seventh before the Cobras scored three times in the 8th. Caleb once again came up big stroking a two-run triple to right center and Crane drove King home with a single. King finished 2-3 for the day with 3 RBI, Michael Bradburn had three hits, while Crane and Calvin Frey each had two hits.

Kory Romold earned the win improving to (2-1) working six solid innings allowing just one run while striking out seven. Max Friedman, one of four Cobra relievers, earned the save allowing just one hit in 1 and 1/3 innings of relief. Parkland is off until Saturday when they will host Lewis and Clark (8-2 4-0) in a 1:00 doubleheader.

3-25-08

Spencer Patton worked six scoreless innings while striking out a career high 12 and Kevin Crane drove in 5 runs, three coming on a three run home run to help lead the Parkland Baseball team to a 9-1 win over visiting Shawnee in the second game of a double header at Cobra Field. PC also won game one, rallying from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Saints 4-3.

Patton, a sophomore right-hander from South Central HS, threw his best game of the young season allowing just two hits and walking one to improve to (5-0) on the season. Crane stroked a two-run single in the third and lined his third home run of the year over the left field fence to push across the Cobras final three runs of the contest. Lead-off hitter Nathan Weglarz also had a big game reaching base and scoring all four times on two walks, a hit-by-pitch, and a double.

In the opener, sloppy defense allowed the Saints to take a 3-1 lead into the fifth inning before PC scored three times. Weglarz led off with a double and Caleb King followed with an infield single. Pinch-hitter Michael Bradburn sacrificed the two runners over. Weglarz scored on a wild pitch and Brett VanAsdlen tied the game at 3 with a single to left. Crane followed with a single and Rich Ruff chased home the eventual game winning run with a double to right. Israel Martinez came on in relief with one on in the sixth and allowed just one runner to reach base over the final two innings to earn his fourth save of the season. Brooks Martin got the start and improved to (2-1) allowing just one earned run.

Parkland (14-5 2-0) will wrap up their series with the Saints (4-6 0-4) with a single nine-inning game tomorrow starting at 2:00.

Game 1:

Shawnee 100 200 0 3 3 3
PC 010 030 X 4 9 5

Adams, Perry (5) and Kelley
Martin, Walther (6), I. Martinez (6) and Ruff

W-Martin (2-1) L-Adams (1-1) S-Martinez (4)

Game 2:

Shawnee 000 000 0 1 4 2
PC 112 113 X 9 6 5

Heath, Topps (5), Smith (6) and Kelley
Patton, G. Martinez (7) and Pisarczyk

W-Patton (5-0) L-Heath (0-2)

HR-Crane (PC)

3-24-08

After 20 years of going to different destinations in Florida for their annual Spring Trip, the Parkland Baseball team tested out a new destination and found it to be to their liking. Participating in the 2nd Annual "Ripken Experience" Spring Classic the Cobras went 8-1 during their eight day stay with two wins over nationally ranked opponents and three victories over NJCAA Division 1 programs. Pitching was especially strong for PC which allowed four runs or less in each of the nine games. After a tough start, Parkland is now 12-5 on the season and has wins in 12 of their last 13 games. Included in those wins are two victories over #1 ranked Longview as well as wins over #6 Frederick and #16 Lackawanna. Weather permitting the Cobras will play their first home games of the season on Tuesday whey they host M-WAC foe Shawnee CC starting at 2:00. Below is a brief summary of each contest.

Parkland 5 Lakeland, Ohio 4

In their opening game, PC faced an undefeated (8-0) Lakeland team and found themselves trailing 4-2 going to the bottom of the fifth before Brett VanAsdlen tied the game with a two-run double to left. Still tied with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, designated hitter Michael Bradburn crushed a 2-1 pitch over the left field fence for the walk-off victory. Bradburn's blast was a towering shot which cleared the pond located behind the wall in left. Nathan Weglarz added 2 hits and 2 runs scored for the Cobras. Brooks Martin worked 6 and 2/3 innings walking none and striking out 11 before being relieved by Israel Martinez who earned the win retiring the only hitter he faced with a runner on second base.

Parkland 4 Lackawanna, PA. 3 8 inn.

In a match up of two pre-season ranked teams, the #10 Cobras rallied for two in the bottom of the 8th for the victory. The two teams went to extra innings tied at two before #16 Lackawanna broke the tie with a lead off home run to start the eighth. In the bottom of the inning, Drew Brooks started the inning with a pinch hit double to left and Nathan Weglarz reached on a bunt single to put runners at the corners. Caleb King singled to tie the game and Jordan Mitchelhill's infield chopper pushed Weglarz across the plate with the winning run. Spencer Patton picked up the win with three strong innings of relief. Patton and starter Kory Rombold each struck out six Indian hitters.

Parkland 4 Garrett, MD. 2

Max Friedman and Izzy Martinez combined to shut down Garrett in the two run victory. Friedman worked five solid innings allowing just two runs while striking out four and Martinez nailed down the save with two scoreless innings of relief. PC built a 3-0 lead behind RBI from Bradburn, King, and Rich Ruff and added an insurance run in the 7th on a sacrifice fly by Thomas Norris.

Lackawanna 4 Parkland 2

The Indians earned a measure of revenge by ending the Cobras seven game winning streak with the 4-2 win. After falling behind 2-0, PC scored their only two runs of the game on a two-run single by Norris. Kevin Craig earned the win going the distance allowing the Cobras just two runs on six hits while striking out six. Lance Hanmer had two of the Cobras hits while John Perkins absorbed the loss despite allowing just two earned runs in four innings.

Parkland 4 Mercer County, NJ. 3

For the third time in five games PC used a late game rally to steal the win. Trailing 3-2 going to the bottom of the seventh, Kevin Crane hit the first pitch of the inning over the right field wall to tie the game at 3. Thomas Norris then walked but was forced at second on a failed sacrifice attempt by Jordan Mitchehill. Mitchelhill promptly stole second base and raced across home plate with the winning run on Caleb King's double into the gap in right center. The rally made a winner of reliever Mark Walther who worked the final two innings to earn the win. Walther allowed just one hit in relief of starter Dan Clifford who allowed one earned run over the first five innings.

Parkland 12 County College of Morris, NJ. 3

The PC bats finally came to life as the Cobras scored a season high 12 runs on 11 hits to defeat CCM. The game belonged to shortstop Calvin Frey who went 3-4 with a home run, two doubles, two runs scored, and five RBI. Michael Bradburn also hit a home run, scored three times, and drove in a pair of runs while Elliot Pisarczyk went 2-3 with 2 RBI. Gerry Martinez picked up his first win of the year working two perfect innings and Michael Laird allowed just one run over the final three innings to earn the save.

Parkland 12 Muscatine, IA. 1

The Cobras scored early and often as they pounded D-1 Muscatine 12-1 on Thursday afternoon. After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the first, the Cobras came right back to score six times in the bottom of the frame. Rich Ruff's three run homer to right was the big blow while Crane, Weglarz, and VanAsdlen all drove in a run. Thomas Norris plated two more runs in the second with a single and Kevin Crane ended the contest after just five innings with a two-run triple. Crane and Ruff each drove in three runs on the day while Norris and VanAsdlen drove in a pair. Lance Hanmer scored three times to help make a winner of Max Friedman who worked four scoreless innings in relief to earn his second win of the trip.

Parkland 6 Garrett, MD. 4

Once again PC scored early and held on for a wild 6-4 victory. Lance Hanmer's two-run single and Brett VanAsdlen's two-run homer put PC ahead 4-0 in the opening inning. PC still led 5-1 headed to the bottom of the fifth before Garrett rallied for three runs. Garrett threatened to score more but reliever Israel Martinez got the final out of the inning with two runners in scoring position. Things got even tighter for the Cobras in the sixth as Garrett loaded the bases with nobody out but Martinez struck out the next two hitters and got the final out on a ground ball to short. PC added an insurance run in the top of the inning on an RBI by Pisarczyk and Martinez sealed the win allowing just a two-out walk in the 7th. Spencer Patton improved to (4-0) and Martinez earned his third save.

Parkland 7 Frederick, MD. 3

PC concluded their trip with a win over World Series rival and #6 ranked Frederick 7-3. PC has faced Frederick six times at the Series and defeated them in the 2002 championship game. The Cobras trailed 3-0 after two innings but used the bunting game to rally for the win. Trailing 3-1, PC led off the bottom of the fourth with a double and then used bunts by four straight hitters to score three times. Two bunt singles and two Frederick errors contributed to the rally. PC again used the bunt to score three more times in the fifth as two more FCC errors and a two-run single by Norris put the game out of reach. Kory Rombold won his first game of the season giving up three runs and striking out four in six innings of work.

3-10-08

The Parkland College Baseball team received several strong pitching performances on Saturday as they swept #1 ranked and defending D-II National Champions Longview, by the scores of 10-2 and 2-1. In game 1, Parkland scored early and often putting up three runs in the first, two in the second, and three more in the third to build an 8-2 lead. Lance Hamner drove in a pair in the first and added a solo home run in the third while Nathan Weglarz added a two-run double to pace the Cobra offense. Brooks Martin earned the win working five strong innings allowing just two runs on four hits while striking out five. Mark Walthers worked a scoreless final two innings to seal the win.

In game two, three Cobra pitchers combined for 16 strikeouts as PC held on for the one-run victory. Trailing 1-0 going to the fifth, PC's Kevin Crane squeezed across Michael Bradburn with the tying run. In the sixth, Jordan Mitchelhill's RBI double scored Weglarz to put the Cobras ahead to stay. Kory Rombold worked four strong innings allowing one run while striking out eight, Spencer Patton picked up the win going 1.2 innings striking out five, and Izzy Martinez earned the save working out of a seventh inning jam striking out the final hitter of the game with the tying run on second and the winning run on first. PC will return to action this weekend at the Cal Ripken Tournament in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

2-12-08

Four members of the Parkland College Baseball and Softball teams have been named Pre-Season NJCAA D-II All-Americans by the NJCAA. Second baseman Lindsay Watkins and center fielder Beth Current were named in Softball while pitcher Brooks Martin and outfielder Caleb King were named in Baseball.

Watkins (Olympia HS) led the Cobras in hitting last season with a .479 average and a .610 on-base percentage. She was second in hits (78), doubles (16), triples (7), and third in runs (51). Current (Bloomington HS) hit .370 with 5 HR's and 48 RBI as a freshman. She also had 5 doubles, 5 triples, and was a perfect 12-12 in stolen bases.

Martin (Streator HS) compiled an 8-1 record and a 2.38 ERA last season leading the Cobras in starts (12), strikeouts (56), and complete games (5). King (Mahomet-Seymour HS) hit .370 as the Cobras lead-off hitter with a .470 on-base percentage. Caleb also had 4 HR and 44 RBI and scored a team-high 65 runs. He also had 15 doubles, 25 walks, and 7 stolen bases.

The #2 ranked Softball team is scheduled to open play on Sunday March 2nd at John A Logan while the #10 Baseball team hopes to get underway Friday February 29 in Enid, Oklahoma against Northern Oklahoma and Redlands CC.

Full teams are listed at www.njcaa.org

2-2-08

The PC Baseball team comes in at #10 coming off a 45-14 season where the Cobras were upset in the Region 24 tourney. PC has been to the World Series four times since 2001, winning the National Championship in 2002.

This year's schedule might be their most difficult with a season opening trip to Oklahoma where they will play #16 Redlands and the host school Northern Oklahoma. The following weekend they will play a pair of games against top-ranked an defending National Champs Longview and on their first ever spring trip to Myrtle Beach, the Cobras will face #6 Frederick CC of Maryland and #16 Lackawanna CC of Pennsylvania.

Parkland College • 2400 West Bradley Avenue • Champaign, IL 61821 • 217/351-2200 • 800/346-8089
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