It wasn't the way they wanted to finish the season, but the Cyclones battled through two tough games, nearly getting the win, in the region semifinals.
GAME ONE
The Cyclones first faced Milwaukee Area Technical College, a team they had lost a doubleheader to earlier this season.
The game was tight as both teams shut down the offense quickly in the first two innings. Moraine Valley scored first in the top of the third inning with Caston Norris on base from a walk before Andrew Phelan (2-for-4, RBI) drove him home on a single to right field. Alejandro Munoz (1-for-3, RBI) added one more run with a sac fly before the inning was over. The Stormers counted with a two-run homerun in the bottom of the inning.
The Stormers scored the next inning off a bases-loaded single to go ahead 4-2. The Cyclones had some singles the following at-bats, but not consecutive enough to produce runs until the eighth. Phelan walked before Troy Vosburgh (3-for-4, RBI) drove him home on a grounder. Although Christian Rosales (1-for-4) singled after that, the Cyclones were unable to collect additional runs in the 4-3 loss.
The Cyclones out-hit the Stormers 7-to-3 while southpaw ace Xavier Aguilar struck out seven this game.
GAME TWO
Later that afternoon, the Cyclones faced the nationally ranked Elgin Community College Spartans.
Some errors contributed to helping the Spartans get on the board in the first two innings while the Cyclones were shut down at the plate. Some pitching errors also allowed Elgin to build a 6-0 lead going into the seventh inning where the Cyclones earned their first run.
Timothy O'Connell (3-for-4, 2B) started the inning with a line-drive double. He was able to take third base on a passed ball. Christian Rosales came up and grounded out, but it allowed O'Connell to score. Moraine Valley scored again the next inning after Ryder Johnson (1-for-3) doubled and Phelan (1-for-4, RBI) drove him home on a hard grounder to left field. However, that was the last of the offense, as the Cyclones lost the affair, 6-2, to end the game and the season.