In Monday’s double-header, the Gary SouthShore RailCats (14-18) split with the Kane County Cougars (13-19) in a pair of pitcher’s duels resulting in a 3-2 RailCats’ win in game one followed by a 2-0 Cougars’ win in game two at the Steel Yard in Gary, Indiana.
Gary starters Jack Alkire and Adam Heidenfelder each threw six innings of one-run baseball with three and four hits, respectively. Alkire punched out six in the win while Heidenfelder suffered his first loss of the season despite striking out ten. He’s the second RailCat this year to eclipse ten strikeouts in a start.
In game one, Josh Allen doubled in a run in the first, but the ‘Cats knotted things up in the bottom of the opening frame as Zach Welz plated one with an RBI single.
The RailCats took the lead in the sixth with a pair of RBI doubles, first from Tom Walraven and next from Jesus Marriaga. Over the two games on Monday, Marriaga posted a 4-for-6 day at the dish.
Jack Fox was strong through five as the Kane County starter in game one, but two runs in the sixth gave the RailCats the game. Fox had six innings, allowing three runs on five hits with two strikeouts in the complete game outing.
The second game had strong arms and quiet bats the whole way through. Heidenfelder dealt in his second start of the year for the RailCats while Cougars starter Ben Allison posted four innings of scoreless baseball, allowing three hits with seven strikeouts in his first start this season.
To break the 0-0 tie, Anthony Ray blasted a solo shot in the sixth and gave the Cougars a 1-0 lead. They would add one more in the seventh to cap off a 2-0 win in game two of Monday’s double-header.
To close things out, Cas Silber earned a save in game one for Gary SouthShore while former RailCat Mark Seyler shut the door for Kane County in game two for his third save of the season.
Game three between the Gary SouthShore RailCats and the Kane County Cougars is schedule for tomorrow, June 22 at 7:10 p.m. at the Steel Yard in Gary, Indiana.