Bees Rally Late to Sweep River Dragons In Two-Game Set

Burlington staged an improbable comeback against the Alton River Dragons Friday at Community Field, taking a 10-9 win in extra innings.

Down 8-0 into the bottom of the fifth, the Bees pushed across two runs on Mason Schwalbach's launch over the right center field fence.  They were his 50^th and 51^st runs batted in, and his league leading 27^th extra base hit.

Alton grabbed a run right back in the top of the sixth.  That made it 9-2.  The Dragons looked pretty comfortable.

It got closer in the seventh when Keanu Spenser led off the frame with a double.  Coy Sarsfield followed with a walk.  Caleb Wulf, on another great night at the plate, scored Spenser with a single to left.  Sarsfield went to third, and Wulf went to second on the throw.  Catcher Ian Wolski dumped an RBI single to left.  With runners on first and third Connor Laeng drove a sacrifice fly to center sending Wulf home.  Jaden Hackbarth was hit by a pitch putting Bees on first and second. Trent Rice walked to load them, but that is the way they stayed as Burlington left three on of the 14 runners left on base in the game. Nine batters came to the plate in the inning.  9-5 Alton.

Burlington scored three more in the eighth.  With an out, Sarsfield doubled down the right field line.  Wulf drove him in with a singled to right.  He went to second on the throw.  He went to third on Ian Wolski's single to center.  One out later Jaden Hackbarth collected an RBI with a one bagger to center of his own.  Now the Bees were down just one run.

Preston Kaufman, on his longest outing of the year, was outstanding.  The Benedictine University righty went four solid innings, allowing three hits, two walks and one run.  A 1-2-3 frame closed the Dragons down in the top of the ninth.

Corey Boyette started the home half with what appeared to be a game-tying home run, but the wind knocked the ball down and off the wall.  Boyette was in his home run trot and had to hustle to beat the throw to third.  Schwalbach collected another run batted in with a deep sacrifice fly to right, tying the game.  Two quick outs and the contest headed to extras.

Alton failed to score in the tenth.  Sarsfield was the Bees designated runner at second in the bottom of the inning.  Left hand hitting Wulf slapped a hard single to left and Sarsfield raced home to complete the comeback.

Wulf finished the night 3-6, with two RBI and two runs scored.  Wolski had three hits as well, scored and drove in a run.

Kyle Looper (1-0) earned the win, throwing a scoreless tenth.  Luke Gasser (0-3) took the loss.

Burlington travels to Quincy Saturday for a key playoff matchup.