By RJ Larson

The Bees split a double header with the Normal CornBelters Friday night, winning the first game 6-0 and losing the second 1-0.  The seven inning game 1 shutout, plus the first three innings of game 2, gave Burlington 20 consecutive scoreless innings pitched.

Newcomer A J Henkle was the offensive story on the night for the Bees.  The outfielder, who joined the team just this week, drove in three runs in the opener.  He was 2-3, with a triple and a double.  He also drove in a run with an infield groundout.

In the second game Henkle collected two of Burlington’s four hits.

Chas Sagedahl earned his first win.  He threw a season high six innings, allowing no runs on four hits, one walk.  The lefty struck out two. 

Sagedahl has not allowed a run in two outings against Normal this year.  KJ Baker added an inning of relief, allowing just a walk and adding two strikeouts.

Game two was a 180 degree turn with the CornBelters shutting out the Bees 1-0.

Normal scored their lone run in the fourth on an RBI double from Hank Himrich.  Normal could have added more runs in game two. They had runners at the corners with no outs in the fourth, but Grady Gorgen got three straight outs to retire the side. Normal had the bases loaded with no outs in the fifth, but Gorgen battled his way back to get out of the jam with no damage allowed. Greg Ryan got Burlington out of a first and second with one out jam with a pair of strikeouts in the seventh to keep the deficit at one run.

Caleb Buehrle went six innings, allowing no runs, four hits, a walk.  He struck out six for Normal to earn his third win. Grady Gorgen pitched a season high 3.1 innings out of the bullpen, allowing no runs, two hits, four walks, and striking out two. The Bees will hit the road tomorrow for another big divisional matchup against the Quincy Gems.