PERU – After starting the 2023 season with back-to-back walkoff losses, the Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp were not about to make it three in a row as they pounded the Burlington Bees 18-2 Friday at Schweickert Stadium in the team’s home opener.
“It was a quiet bus ride back from Burlington with way we lost [Thursday],” Pistol Shrimp manager John Jakiemiec said. “I knew these guys would come out and rebound. There’s a lot of talent and you have to remember these are college guys that are competing for playing time, so you know they’re going to give it everything they have. With such a good crowd, it was nice to see it happen in the home opener.”
The Bees did threaten in the top of the first inning with Ottawa native Jared Herzog on the mound for the Pistol Shrimp.
Connor Laeng reached on an error, and Jaden Hackbarth singled to put two on with no outs. But after a flyout to center, the Shrimp were able to turn a double play to end the inning.
From that point, it was all Pistol Shrimp. With two outs in the first, Logan Delgado doubled to center field and Bob Marinec drew a walk. That brought up Joe Stagowski, who put the Pistol Shrimp on the board with a single up the middle to score Delgado.
Illinois Valley wasn’t done, as Kendren Kinzie singled to left to score Marinec for a 2-0 lead after an inning.
Herzog and the defense were on cruise control with Marinec making a highlight reel diving catch to keep the Bees scoreless after two.
“I knew these guys would come out and rebound. There’s a lot of talent and you have to remember these are college guys that are competing for playing time, so you know they’re going to give it everything they have. With such a good crowd, it was nice to see it happen in the home opener.”
John Jakiemiec, Pistol Shrimp manager
The Pistol Shrimp tacked on another run in the bottom of the second when Anthony Fornero blasted a solo home run from the No. nine spot for a 3-0 lead.
Herzog recorded three strikeouts in the third, then the Pistol Shrimp bats went back to work. Marinec led off and reached on one of three errors by the Bees in the inning. Stagnowski followed with a single to left and Kinzie reached on another error.
Tobey Jackson made it 4-0 Pistol Shrimp with bases-loaded walk, and Fornero pushed the lead to 5-0 with an RBI single to center before KInzie scored on a passed ball.
Illinois Valley was just getting started as Louis Perona smashed a two-run single for a commanding 8-0 lead.
Delgado reached on another Burlington error, and the Shrimp extended their lead to 10-0 after three innings.
Both teams went quietly in the fourth. In the fifth, Herzog retired his 12th batter in a row before Ian Wolski walked, but Herzog and his defense again shut down the threat.
Just in case the Bees had hoped to mount a comeback, the Pistol Shrimp opened the floodgates again in the fifth, scoring eight more runs.
Perona started things with a walk and scored on an RBI double by Tyler Dorsch, who later scored on a Burlington error for a 12-0 lead.
Kinzie extended the lead with a two-run double off the left field wall.
Fornero picked up his third RBI of the night with a single to right, and Perona drew a bases-loaded walk in his second at-bat of the inning. Dorsch and Delgado also came around for another turn at the plate and both added RBI singles to make it 18-0.
In the top of the seventh, Keanu Spencer led off with a double of Herzog.
“I didn’t realize at the time that was the first hit Jared had given up since the first inning,” Jakiemiec said. “He did an outstanding job pitching tonight. It’s not everyday you got stuff like that and defense to back you up.”
A wild pitch allowed the first Bees run, and after a single Herrzog left to a standing ovation before Burlington scored another run.
“We started off a little shaky, but we got things rolling pretty quick,” Herzog said. “Being just 20 minutes from home, it was great to see familiar faces here. The defense behind me was incredible and the offense just exploded. All in all, a great night for us.”
