CrackerJacks Come Up Big In First Game Ever

The Will County CrackerJacks knocked off the Chicago Zephyrs 12-6 on Friday night at Waubonsee Community College.

After getting set down in order in the first, the 'Jacks exploded for four runs in the third, three in the fourth and five in the fourth to grab a 12-0 lead. The Zephyrs cut the lead in half by the end of the seventh but the game was called due to darkness after the inning, resulting in the 'Jacks first win in franchise history.

Stephen Taylor (1-0) threw five strong innings, yielding just one hit and striking out five, en route to his first win of the season. George Heller (0-1) took the loss for the Zephyrs (0-2).

The 'Jacks got its second inning rally started when first basemen Lendon Ehlmann and left fielder Domenic Biagini were both hit by pitches. They came around to score after Derek Thomas reached on one of four Zephyrs' errors and Chris Noble's RBI single. Scott Hull then broke the game open with a two-run double, scoring Noble and Thomas.

In the third, Steve Kedroski knocked in two runs with an RBI single.

The 'Jacks then capitalized off of two Zephyrs' errors in the fourth en route to scoring five runs to break the game open. 

Lendon Ehlmann and Scott Hull led the 'Jacks with three hits and two hits, repectively.

The CrackerJacks (1-0) next take the field Saturday in a non-league doubleheader against the Elgin Aces at 1 p.m. at Oil City Stadium in Whiting, Ind.  Tomorrow's game will be covered on the CrackerJacks Radio Network starting at 12:35 p.m. with the Eich's Sports Lead-Off Show.