Pistol Shrimp rally in 8th to defeat Aviators

The Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp saw Lafayette take a one-run lead with two runs in the top of the eight inning, but the home team rallied in the bottom half with two of its own on an RBI double by Jared Quandt and a sacrifice fly by Tucker Bougie to defeat the Aviators, 5-4, on Tuesday night at Schweickert Stadium in Peru.

The comeback made a winner of Eben Heine (4.0 IP, 2 R, 2 ER, 5 K, 1 BB) in relief of starting pitcher Jared Herzog and Zach Losey. Herzog, an Ottawa High School alum, went the first four innings, allowing one earned run and three walks while striking out seven.

Quandt and Jack Johnston each had two hits and Justin Rios a solo home run for the Pistol Shrimp, while Bougie finished with two RBIs.

Both teams scored a pair of runs in the first, the hosts getting the Rios homer and a run-scoring two-bagger by Bougie. The Shrimp added a go-ahead run in the third on a double steal with Quandt, who had led off with a single, crossing home as Johnston was thrown out.

In the decisive eighth, Lafayette’s Cade Fitzpatrick hit a two-run homer to put the visitors up, but in the home portion Rios walked and scored on the Quandt double. He later came in on Bougie’s sacrifice fly to center.

The Pistol Shrimp (9-3) will hit the road to face the Danville Dans at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.