A walk off grand slam gave the Rock Falls Rockets a 17-7 win over the EP Panthers on Monday in Rock Falls. The big blow came in the sixth inning with two outs.
EP put up a three spot in the first inning as Evan Steimle hit a three-run bomb driving in Braedyn Frank and Gavin VanDyke who had both singled.
In the bottom of the frame Panther starter Braedyn Frank was taken out after facing five hitters with what appeared to be a back issue. The Rockets’ first four hitters reached base with a single, walk, infield error, and a double that drove in three runs. After hitting the next batter Alastaire Sweetser was summoned to take over on the mound. Sweetser struckout the first batter he faced but allowed a run on a wild pitch. After a second strikeout, another EP error allowed the Rockets fifth run to score.
In the bottom of the second with two on and two out, Sweetser hit the batter to load the bases, which were cleared two pitches latter as Rock Falls starting pitcher Ethan Matthews hit a ball over the left field fence to put the Rockets up 9-3 after two.
Sweetser led off the fourth inning with a single and scored on a Carter Hadaway fielder’s choice to make it a 9-4 game.
Rock Falls responded in their half of the fourth scoring two as a triple and an error made it 11-4.
EP got two runs back in fifth as Jermaine Kochevar scored on an error after he reached on a single. Sweetser then drove in a run with his second hit of the game bringing in Steimle who had reached on an error.
With the score 12-7 in the bottom of the sixth EP brought in Cade Huisman to pitch. Rock Falls loaded the bags with two outs picking up a run on a single to make it 13-7. That set the stage for the Rockets second grand slam of the game to end the contest.
Sweetser went 5 innings giving up 6 hits, 7 runs (6 earned), walked 1 and struck out 5.
The Panthers (1-2-1) will travel to Rockridge (7-2) for their next game on Tuesday.
