Raiders rally to take kick out of upstart Mustangs and run winning streak to 15 straight

MENDON, Ill. — The Unity baseball team put Quincy Notre Dame in an unfamiliar spot.

The Raiders trailed by two runs through three innings Monday.

An offense that has pushed QND into this week’s Prep Baseball Report top 25 state poll wouldn’t let the deficit linger. The Raiders scored three times in the fourth inning, twice more in the fifth and picked up a 12-6 West Central Conference victory.

It took some wherewithal and some patience to make the 15th straight victory happen.

Jake Schisler led off the top of the fourth inning with a walk, went to second on Tucker Tollerton’s single and to third on a wild pitch. After Dalton Miller walked to load the bases, Brady Kindhart drove in Schisler with a groundout. Tollerton scored on a wild pitch, and Miller scored with two outs on an error.

In the fifth, Tollerton, Miller and Kindhart all walked with two outs to load the bases and Alex Connoyer followed with a two-run double.

Jack Linenfelser’s two-run triple and Nolan Robb’s RBI single in the seventh capped the scoring.

QND (18-1)  jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning as Tollerton walked, Miller doubled and Kindhart walked ahead of Connoyer blasting a grand slam to center field. However, the Mustangs answered with five runs in the bottom of the first.

An error and a single set up Sawyer Allen’s three-run home run to center field. A walk, a single and another walk loaded the bases, and one out later, Elijah Parsons delivered a two-run single to complete a five-run frame and give Unity (6-7) the lead.

The Raiders stranded the bases loaded in the top of the second before the Mustangs tacked on another in the third courtesy of two walks, an error and a wild pitch.

Connoyer finished 2 for 4 with six RBIs, while Tollerton had two of the Raiders’ eight hits. Mason Winking earned the victory with five innings of relief, allowing one unearned run and three hits while striking out eight. Tollerton struck out three in the seventh inning.

Miles Moulton had two of the Mustangs’ eight hits.