Offensive Explosion Propels CrackerJacks to 18-2 Win

The Will County CrackerJacks blew open a 6-2 game in the fourth inning, scoring 12 unanswered runs over the last three frames to beat the Aces (0-1) and improve to 2-0 in 2011.

The 'Jacks got the scoring started in the first inning thanks to an RBI single by Lendon Ehlmann. They then tacked on one more in the second when Colt Hankamer lined a single into right-center field, scoring Steve Kedroski.

After scoring four runs in the third, the 'Jacks took a 6-2 lead into the bottom of the fourth after the Aces finally plated two runs off of 'Jacks starter Mike Nicks in the top half of the inning. But in the bottom of the fourth frame, Will County plated six runs to break open the ballgame.

The inning was highlighted by another Ehlmann single, which drove in two runs, and Domenic Biagini's single that plated Ehlmann.

Leading 15-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning, centerfielder Scott Hull, who went 3-for-4, drove in four runs and scored four runs, delivered the exclamation point with a towering three-run blast over the left field wall.

Mike Nicks threw five innings of three-hit ball, allowing just two runs.  Matt Pruneau and Brooks McDowell each threw a scoreless frame in the sixth and seventh, respectively, to close out the ballgame.

With the win, the 'Jacks improved to 2-0, while the Aces fell to 0-1.

In game two of the doubleheader, the 'Jacks hopped out to an early 1-0 lead on Ehlmann's RBI groundout and by the same score in the bottom of third inning when the game went into a rain delay and was eventually postponed.