Pistol Shrimp split with Chillicothe Paints in regular-season home finale

The Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp finished their regular-season home schedule Sunday by splitting a pair of games with the Chillicothe Paints.

The Shrimp (34-19) lost the first game 7-3 and won the second 9-8 at Schweickert Stadium in Peru.

The first game, which was resumed from Thursday, started with the Shrimp trailing 6-3 with one runner on and one out in the bottom of the eighth inning. All five Shrimp batters were retired in the eighth and ninth innings, while the Paints added a run in the top of the ninth.

The Shrimp blasted three home runs in the second game to rally for the victory.

Chillicothe scored two runs in the first and another three in the second to take a 5-0 lead. In the bottom of the second, Chance Resetich hit an RBI double, and Ryan Niedzwiedz belted a two-run homer to cut the Shrimp’s deficit to 5-3.

The Paints scored three more runs in the third to go up 8-3, but the Shrimp rallied with one run in the third and fourth innings and four in the fifth. Pambos Nicoloudes smacked a solo homer in the third, and Niedzwiedz brought in a run with a fielder’s choice in the fourth. In the fifth, Makana Olaso launched a two-run homer to pull the Shrimp within one at 8-7 and Brandon Mahler drove in the tying and go-ahead runs with a single to right field.

Six pitchers took the mound for the Shrimp. Nicoloudes threw 1⅔ innings, allowing no hits with one strikeout and three walks. Cole Warehime was the winning pitcher, striking out the only batter he faced.

Daniel Castro picked up the save as he allowed one hit while striking out three batters and walking none in two scoreless innings.