The Cyclones found their offense in their latest Skyway Conference matchup with Waubonsee Community College, splitting the doubleheader.
GAME 1
Moraine Valley was able to collect all their runs in two innings and keep the Chiefs' offense at bay in a 7-1 victory.
Christian Cardenas led at the plate with 4 RBIs, a double and triple, earning a hit in every at-bat (3-for-3). He scored the Cyclones' first two runs with a double in the bottom of the first after Christian Rosales (2-for-3, 2B) doubled, Niko Mastoras (1-for-2, 2B, RBI) walked and Dimitri Spatharakis (1-for-1) was hit by a pitch.
Several Cyclones contributed to the five-run fifth inning. Rosales started with a single and scored on a double by Mastoras. Jack Hoh (1-for-4, 2B, RBI) added another run with a double of his own to go up 4-0. Spatharakis took a walk before Cardenas scored them both on his triple to center field. Arnoldo Velazquez earned the team's final run with a sac fly to center.
Helping keep the Chiefs quiet at the plate was starting pitcher Xavier Aguilar, who struck out nine batters and allowed one earned run. Ryan O'Shea finished the job with four strikeouts and no hits.
GAME 2
The Chiefs bounced back in the second game, dealing the Cyclones a 9-4 loss.
Dane McDonald started on the mound and struck out the first three batters before the Cyclones scored. Spatharakis hit a sac fly to score Mastoras, who walked, to go up 1-0. Velazquez (1-for-2, 3B) scored the next run in the bottom of the second after hitting a triple and crossing the plate on a wild pitch.
It was lights out for both teams the next few innings before the Chiefs got hot. A few walks and hits gave Waubonsee a 3-2 lead, which they extended to 7-2 with a couple of homeruns in the seventh. With their last at-bat, the Cyclones loaded the bases with two walks and Velazquez being hit by a pitch. Jayden Armstrong (1-for-3, 2 RBIs) hit a hard grounder and reached first on an error while scoring two more runs. However, the next two Cyclones popped out and struck out to end the comeback.
McDonald threw some solid innings, striking out nine batters and allowing just three runs.