Eagles Advance To Championship Game

Joliet, IL - The Eagles started the day needing one victory to reach the CCAC Conference Championship Game on Saturday. While perhaps they took the long route to get there, the Eagles did in fact get that win to make it to Championship Saturday. 

Judson took on Saint Xavier in the winner's bracket game. Through the first five innings, JU trailed 5-2 in large part to their own undoing. Matt Johnston started on the mound for the Eagles, and while he did not surrender many hits, four walks allowed, and four hit batters allowed put Judson behind the eight ball early. With the Eagles trying to mount a comeback, in the 4th inning they saw a runner picked off of third base to end the inning. 

But in the sixth inning, Judson got off the mat once again to push across three runs to tie the game at five. Austin Stone had a two run single, Kyle Schwartz scored the third run of the inning on a steal of home. Stone had a great game for the Eagles going 3-5 with a run and 2 RBI's. 

Adrian Nery would come on in relief to pitch 3.1 scoreless innings as this game went to extra innings, with the winner advancing directly to the championship game. 

In the 11th inning, after a controversial play, Nate Stempowski got an RBI double to give the Eagles a 6-5 lead. But St. Xavier would answer in the bottom half, and then ultimately score the winning run in the 12th inning on a wild pitch to win the game 7-6. 

It would force Judson into the loser's bracket to take on Olivet Nazarene on Friday night. The winner there would move onto the championship against St. Xavier on Saturday. 

Against the Tigers, JU scored quickly with two runs in the first inning. A big fifth inning would give the Eagles a comfortable lead at 6-3. Kevin Flores ripped an RBI triple, Daley Thompson had a sacrifice fly, and Kyle Schwartz had an RBI single. 

In the sixth inning, Blake Stempowski added an RBI double, and Flores added one final sacrifce fly to make the score 8-3. 

Stepping up on the mound was Owen Wanner who pitched 7 innings while striking out six batters. Wanner earned the win puting his record at 3-4 on the season. Jacob Skinner would close things out with two scoreless innings giving the Eagles an 8-4 win over the Tigers. 

A battered and bruised Hudson Deal had three hits in the game, while Kevin Flores had three RBI's. 

Judson now moves on to Saturday and a rematch with the Cougars of St. Xavier. The Eagles will need to beat St. Xavier twice on Saturday to be crowned Conference Tournament Champions. St. Xavier just needs one win as they enter as the undefeated team. 

After five back and forth games this season, Saturday figures to be no different as the winner will receive the automatic birth to the NAIA tournament.