I-Cubs walk it off against the Storm Chasers

DES MOINES, Iowa –The Omaha Storm Chasers (15-18) dropped a 10-inning game to the Iowa Cubs (18-15) 5-6, giving the I-Cubs their second walk off win in this season’s I-80 rivalry.

DH Nick Pratto drew a walk in the top of the first inning, before 1B Vinnie Pasquantino hit a double off the top of the wall in left-center field to put a pair of runners in scoring position. Two strikeouts from Iowa’s Caleb Kilian would shut down Omaha’s scoring opportunity.

The I-Cubs came back in the bottom of the first to go ahead 4-0.

In the fourth, C William Hancock struck out, but reached on a wild pitch. SS Ivàn Castillo hit a line drive single to center before CF Dairon Blanco got a base hit into right field to load the bases with nobody out, forcing Iowa to make a pitching change. Pasquantino drew a four-pitch RBI walk to end Omaha’s 13-inning scoreless streak and through five the I-Cubs led 4-1.

Castillo reached on a single into center to start the seventh when Blanco drew a walk to put runners at first and second with no outs. Pasquantino hit a 413-foot homer, his team-leading eighth of the season, to knot the score 4-4.

2B Gabriel Cancel followed the homer with a one-out double and RF Brewer Hicklen hit a single to left field to put runners at the corners. LF Clay Dungan hit a squeeze bunt to score Cancel and give Omaha its first lead. Through six and a half innings, Omaha led 5-4.

LHP Austin Cox settled down and to get through 6.0 innings with six strikeouts, not allowing a run after the first inning in the no decision. The I-Cubs tied the game in the bottom of the seventh 5-5.

Cancel reached to start the eighth by way of a hit-by-pitch before Castillo hit a sacrifice bunt to move Cancel to second. Blanco hit an infield single to third base and with two outs, Omaha had runners at first and second. The Storm Chasers were unable to get the runners in keeping the score knotted up 5-5.

LHP Foster Griffin came in and pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning to push the game to the ninth with the score even.

A double and hit batter put runners at first and second for Iowa in the bottom of the ninth before a double play turned by the Storm Chasers put Omaha just one out from playing extra innings.

RHP Jose Cuas (Loss, 0-3) came in with two outs in the ninth and forces a lineout to push the game into the 10th inning.

Omaha headed to extras for just the second time this season with the only other extended game coming on April 16 against Louisville at home. Omaha was unable to score in the top of the 10th, and with no outs in the bottom of the frame Iowa won their second walk-off win in the series 6-5. On the night, Omaha stranded 10 runners, hitting 5-for-14 with runners in scoring position.

The Storm Chasers continue their series at Iowa tomorrow with first pitch scheduled for 6:08 p.m. with coverage beginning at 5:45 p.m. with the Sarpy County Tourism Pregame Show on 1180 The Zone.

The full 2022 schedule can be found here and single-game tickets are now available here.

For more tickets and more information, please visit omahastormchasers.com, call the Werner Park Ticket office at (402) 738-5100, and follow the team on social media. You can follow the team on Twitter @omastormchasers, on Instagram @omahastormchasers, and “like” the team on Facebook at facebook.com/omahastormchasers.