Bees Split Doubleheader with Normal

(Photo: Game 1 winner Jared Townsend)

Burlington and Normal split a Prospect League doubleheader Tuesday night at Community Field.  The Bees took game one 5-1. The CornBelters pounded out 11 hits to take game two 8-3.

In the regularly scheduled opener, Normal starter Clayton Johnson had the Bees stymied until the home third when second baseman Tucker Cole worked a one out walk.  Shortstop Trey Adams moved him to second with a single to right.

Sam Monroe followed with a double to left scoring Cole and advancing Adams to third.  AJ Henkle traded places with Monroe launching a double of his own.  That put Burlington up 3-1.

Henkle moved to third on a 'Belters passed ball.  He later scored on a Joey Fitzgerald single, which gave the home team a 4-1 lead.  They would tack on another run in the fourth to close the scoring for both teams.

Jared Townsend went five innings for Burlington to earn his first win of the year.  He allowed one run on three hits.  He walked four and struck out four.

CJ Lewis was solid in relief.  He gave up no runs and no hits, walked two and struck out one in the two frames he threw.

Game two was a makeup contest from the previous day, which had been rained out.  The Bees bats were muffled.  They managed just four hits, but plated three runs in an 8-3 loss.

The CornBelters extended a 1-0 lead with four runs in the top of the fourth.  Ben Higgins RBI walk drove in the first score.  Peyton Meredith plated two more with a single to left.  He stole second and Higgins scored as Bees' catcher Ben Tallman threw low to second and the ball scooted into centerfield.

Burlington answered with two runs in the home half of the inning on an RBI walk by Ryan Grace.  Weston Fulk, who had reached on a single then scored from third when a Normal pickoff attempt to first sailed into right field.

Normal added two runs in the sixth. The Bees pushed one across in the same inning.

Adrian Nery took the loss to take his record to 0-1.  Burlington is now 2-5 on the young season.