Martinez’s walk-off homer in Region 24 Tournament keeps JWCC’s season alive

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Kevin Martinez kept the John Wood Community College baseball team’s season afloat with one swing.

Leading off the bottom of the ninth inning in Friday’s elimination game of the Region 24 Tournament at the Corn Crib, the Trail Blazers designated hitter hit a home run to right field to give JWCC an 8-7 walk-off victory over Lewis and Clark.

The Trail Blazers (26-30) advance to face Heartland Community College at 11 a.m. Saturday in the championship game.

JWCC right fielder Evan Sohn, a Quincy High School graduate, belted a grand slam in the sixth inning to give the Trail Blazers a 7-5 lead. However, Lewis and Clark scored twice in the eighth inning before JWCC turned a double play to get out of the inning.

That set up Martinez’s heroics. Sohn and Martinez each had two hits, and third baseman Drew Quinlan doubled and drove in two. Reliever Ethan McMasters pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to earn the victory.

The Trail Blazers fell into a win-or-go-home situation with a 9-4 loss to Heartland on Friday morning. With the game tied at 4 in the seventh inning, Heartland scored five runs, taking advantage of five walks and an error in the inning.

Quinlan went 3 for 4, while Martinez went 2 for 5 with a double.