Carl Sandburg College Baseball Earns Share of 1st Arrowhead Conference Baseball Title Since ’08

Carl Sandburg College baseball team holding Arrowhead Conference trophy

For the first time in 10 years, Carl Sandburg College is home to the Arrowhead Conference baseball champion. The Chargers earned a share of their first conference title since 2008 and sixth in program history with a split of a doubleheader against Black Hawk on Tuesday afternoon at the William “Bill” Hungate Baseball/Softball Complex. Sandburg won Game 1 10-4 and nearly claimed the outright title in Game 2, but the Braves withstood a game-tying three-run Chargers rally in the seventh to win 8-6 in eight innings, leaving the teams as co-champions with identical 17-3 league records. Making his first start since March 30 because of a leg injury, sophomore Mitch Smith from Sherrard High School and a transfer from Black Hawk, kept the Braves’ bats quiet for much of game one. After surrendering a leadoff double that led to the game’s first run, Smith retired 15 of the next 16 batters he faced. The righthander went the distance, allowing six hits and a walk while striking out seven. Next up for the Chargers, now (25-11) overall, they step out of conference play for their final four opponents of the regular season, starting with a nine-inning game at 3 p.m. tomorrow at home against Spoon River.