Kahoks Baseball begins season taking on Chicago powers
By Mark Jurgena
COLLINSVILLE — The Collinsville baseball team began their 2024 season with some big tests from the Chicagoland area. They came out of the week with a 1-2 record.
Opening day
Collinsville’s Ethan Bagwell had a huge game giving up only one hit over four innings on the mound then blasted a two-run home run in the fourth inning to score Kris Alcorn and lead Collinsville to a 3-0 win over Oswego in Edwardsville on March 14.
Due to storms in the area, the game was called after five full innings of play.
Bagwell struck out seven and walked one to shut down the Pirate hitters. Mason Hartman finished the game with a scoreless inning on the mound.
In addition to Bagwell’s blast, Blaine Martinez mashed an HR to centerfield also in the fourth for the final margin.
Adam Bovinett had the other hit for Collinsville.
New Trier
The following day CHS faced Winnetka (New Trier) and fell 9-5 to the Trevians at Grizzlies Ballpark in Sauget.
NT exploded for a combined eight runs in the third and fourth innings to take control of the game at 8-1.
However, in the top of the sixth, Collinsville rallied to cut the lead down to 8-5.
Amari Berry doubled with one out and scored on a double by Keaton Call.
Call moved up on a passed ball before scoring on a ground ball off the bat of Darren Pennell to make it 8-3.
Carter Harrington blasted a two-run HR to left field to cut the lead down to three runs.
But New Trier answered with a run in the bottom half to make it a 9-5 final.
For Collinsville, Harrington went 2-for-3 as did Alcorn. Bovinett smacked two hits. Berry and Call had one each.
Harrington had two RBI while Alcorn added an RBI
Alcorn, Berry, Logan O’Dell, Braden Henson and Matt Reynolds all pitched for the purple and white.
OPRF
Collinsville scored four runs in the top of the first then experienced a power outage as the weekend concluded with a 7-4 loss to Oak Park-River Forest at Blazier Field in O’Fallon.
In the top of the first, Harrington led off with a walk then Alcorn blasted a two-run HR to left to give CHS a 2-0 lead.
Bovinett and Bagwell then singled and Martinez was hit by a pitch. With one out, Berry was hit by a pitch to score Bovinett.
Call then finished the scoring with a sacrifice fly to left to make it a 4-0 Kahok lead.
OPRF then scored in four innings to grab the lead and take the win.
Bovinett had two hits as did Bagwell.
Alcorn finished with one hit as did Call.
One of Bagwell’s hit was a double.
Bryce Lemp, Hartman and Harrington all saw time on the mound for CHS.
Upcoming Schedule
Collinsville travels to Memphis, Tenn. this week to play in the Perfect Game Showdown. They start their tourney on Thursday against Van Buren, Ark.
The tourney continues through Saturday.
CHS returns to action Wednesday at Granite City.
