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Knights roll past Iroquois

IROQUOIS, Pa. – When Eisenhower hosted Iroquois two weeks ago, the Knights needed a Drake Gens walkoff double to secure the win.

Two weeks later, they had the Braves number all game long and needed just six innings to come away from Iroquois with a 13-2 win Friday.

“We’re very pleased with the win,” Eisenhower assistant coach Rick Rohlin said. “That was a good one.”

Eisenhower pitcher Dakota Chase was superb, needing just 74 pitches in the complete game win. He gave up two runs, one earned, on just three hits and struck out nine without allowing a walk.

“Dakota chase pitched an outstanding game, a dominant game,” Rohlin said. “He just mowed them down.”

Chase’s performance allowed the Knights offense to grind out run after run all game long. In the first, Drew Williams drew a leadoff walk and came around on Nick Smelko’s one out single. Smelko scored on Zach Rohlin’s ground out to put the Knights up 2-0 after their first time up.

The Braves were able to get one back in the bottom half as Chase’s mound opponent, Matt Alecci, led off with a double and scored on Jeremy Laniewicz’s one out single. Chase limited the damage to just one as he induced a groundout and punched out Gavin Wakefield to end the inning.

Eisenhower got right back to work in the second. Owen Trumbull led off with a walk and scored on Williams’ sac fly. Chase walked to start the fourth and scored on Rohlin’s single to center.

“Our plate appearances were outstanding across the board,” Rick Rohlin said. “In our early games, we just weren’t hitting. We’re getting middle and bottom of the lineup hitting (and) we’re hitting so much better right now.”

A walk, a single and a hit by pitch loaded the bases for the Knights to start the fourth. Teagan Gray reached on an error to score one, then back-to-back walks plated two more. With two outs, another hit by pitch scored a run and a walk followed to score another and make it 9-1 Knights.

“Our kids are doing a fantastic job of not chasing,” Rohlin said. “The discipline they’re showing at the plate is outstanding. They’re buying into being aggressive but not foolish at the plate.”

Zane Alexander, Williams and Gens reached via single, a walk and a single to start the sixth. Alexander was picked off, but Williams scored on Smelko’s ground out while Gens came around when Chase reached on an error. Rohlin put the final run on the board for the Knights with a RBI single to short.

Alecci and Laniewicz teamed up to score Iroquios’ final run in the sixth. Alecci reached on an error and Laniewicz singled him home.

The Knights will look to carry this momentum into a key Region 3 matchup against Maplewood at Werner Park Monday.

“There are four teams in the league that are real solid,” Rohlin said. “We’re hoping to bump off one of those teams.”

First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.

– – –

EISENHOWER (13)

Williams, ss, 2-2-0-1, Gens, 3b, 3-2-1-1, Smelko, 1b, 5-2-2-2, Chase, p, 1-4-0-0, Rohlin, 2b, 4-0-2-3, Gray, lf/rf, 3-1-0-1, Acklin, rf, 0-0-0-0, Beers, rf/lf, 2-1-0-1, Benson, lf, 2-1-0-1, Trumbull, cf, 1-1-0-1, Swanson, c, 2-0-0-0, Alexander, c, 1-0-1-0, Team 26-13-6-10

IROQUIOS (2)

Alecci, p/3b, 3-2-1-0, Gray, cf, 3-0-0-0, Laniewicz, 2b/p, 3-0-2-2, Visalle, 1b, 3-0-0-0, Wakefield, ss, 2-0-0-0, May, lf/p, 2-0-0-0, Tarr, 3b/lf, 2-0-0-0, Jackula, c, 2-0-0-0, Johnson, rf, 2-0-0-0, Team 22-2-3-2

Eisenhower 211 513 x – 13 6 2

Iroquois 100 001 x – 2 3 5

2b-Alecci (I). WP-Chase. LP-Alecci.

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