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ALTON - The Burlington, Ia., Bees jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first three innings and never looked back in their 9-5 win over the Alton River Dragons Wednesday night at Lloyd Hopkins Field at Gordon Moore Park.
The River Dragons' game on Tuesday at the Cape Catfish in Cape Girardeau, Mo. was postponed due to rain, and will be played on Saturday, June 12, starting at 12 noon. Wednesday's game was the first of a home-and-home set with the Bees.
Burlington scored twice in the first, once in the second and twice more in the third to jump out to a 5-0 lead, but the River Dragons cut the advantage to 5-2, thanks to a two-run homer by Alec Nigut, the franchise's first ever home run at Lloyd Hopkins Field. The Bees countered with two more runs in the sixth, but Alton rallied with three in the eight to make it 7-5, but Burlington scored two runs in the ninth to make the final 9-5.
Blake Burris from Edwardsville, Alton's Adam Sitlts and Gabe Briones all had two hits on the day for the River Dragons, while Nigut's two run homer was hit only hit and RBIs in the game, Bryce Zupan from Civic Memorial had a hit and two RBIs, Clayton Dean had a hit and drove home a run and Mike Hampton and Robby Taul, both from Alton, also had hits in the game.
Justin Needles started on the mound for Alton, and in three innings, gave up five runs on four hits, walking five, while Brandon Hampton from Civic Memorial gave up a run on three hits in two-and-one-third innings, striking out two, another former CM player, Geoff Withers, allowed a run without a hit in one-and-a-third inning while walking one and fanning two, Drew Patterson also pitched an inning-and-a-third, fanning three, and Tyler Bell threw in the ninth, conceding two runs on two hits, striking out one.
The River Dragons are now 2-2, and will play at Burlington tonight in the second game of the home-and-home set, first pitch set for 6:30 p.m. Alton then returns to Springfield for a game against the Sliders, starting at 6:35 p.m. on Friday, then play a home-and-home weekend set against the O'Fallon, Mo., Hoots, with Saturday's game at Lloyd Hopkins field at 6:35 p.m., and a return match at CarShield Field in O'Fallon, also starting at 6:35 p.m.Colin Feeney also contributed to this story.
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