MORTON, IL - The Morton Potters matched up against the Dunlap Eagles in an important Mid-Illini conference game on Thursday afternoon. Both teams came in with a 5-2 conference record and thanks to a three-run fifth inning Morton (14-4) came away with a 3-1 win.

A big two-out game-tying single to left field by Braedon Brown, scored Isaiah Weber, who led off the inning with a walk and tied the contest at one in the bottom of the fifth inning. Nick Guerra followed with a walk and Logan Peterson was next to the plate. Peterson hit a ground ball to shortstop that could have ended the inning but the ball was thrown away to first base and both Brown and Guerra scored, making the score 3-1 heading to the sixth inning.

The game was a classic pitchers duel until the three-run fifth inning. Morton starter, senior right-handed pitcher Vinnie Massaglia, a Illinois Central JC commit, threw the ball well all night and picked up the win. Massaglia went 6.1 innings, scattered five hits, one earned run, struck out four and did not walk a batter. Peterson finished the game, getting the final two outs, one via a strikeout. Massaglia’s counterpart was Dunlap junior right-handed pitcher Andrew Pogue. Pogue was equally as impressive throughout despite taking the tough loss. Pogue went six innings, scattered three hits, three runs, one earned, struck out three and walked two. Both Pogue and Massaglia sat in the mid-to-upper 80’s early on in the contest and showed feel for quality secondary offerings.

Dunlap’s (16-4) lone run came in the top of the fourth inning. Cleanup hitter, first baseman Charlie Mangieri, unloaded on a fastball down in the zone and put it over the center-field fence with ease for a solo home run. Mangieri, a Northwestern football commit, just missed hitting one out in his first at-bat of the night and later lined out sharply to the third baseman. Jared Holt finished 2-for-3 with a double in the losing effort.

Massaglia, Brown and Isaiah Gudeman each had a hit to lead the way for Morton.

For more in-depth notes from the game - and all other games that we cover - visit the Illinois Scout Blog later.

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