Southwestern Baseball Overcomes Milestone Pressure with Wins 499 and 500

Southwestern baseball faced milestone pressure on Saturday, but they rose to the occasion and secured coach Brian Hanslow’s 500th career win in impressive fashion. With a supportive crowd of fans cheering them on, the Piasa Birds defeated Freeburg 3-1 and Greenville 5-4 in a thrilling three-team cluster in Greenville.

“It’s great to get it over with,” said a relieved Hanslow, whose father had flown in from Arizona to witness the milestone victory. The Birds’ record now stands at an impressive 14-4, with Hanslow boasting a career record of 500-362 in his 28th season at Southwestern.

The victory over Freeburg was particularly sweet, as Southwestern had not defeated them since 2014. Pitcher Colin LeMarr was instrumental in the win, shutting out the Midgets on one hit over four scoreless innings before Logan Keith came in to secure the save. The offense came alive in the fourth inning, with Marcus Payne and Parker LeMarr delivering key hits to put the Birds ahead.

In their matchup against Greenville, Southwestern found themselves in a tight battle. After relinquishing a 4-0 lead, the Birds regained the advantage on a wild pitch that allowed Rocky Darr to score. Darr, who also excelled on the mound in relief of Ryan Lowis, shut down the Comets over four hitless innings to secure the win.

With key contributions from players like Hunter Newell and Logan Keith, Southwestern showcased their depth and resilience in overcoming both milestone pressure and tough opponents. As conference and postseason pressure looms on the horizon, the Birds have proven they have what it takes to rise to the occasion.