Sports
Sandburg's Chmielewski Honored as Athlete of the Week
Facing the pressure of a bases-loaded jam, Eric Chmielewski stayed calm and helped the Eagles get past rival Andrew.
It was a rough start for Sandburg pitcher Eric Chmielewski as he stood on the mound staring down his Andrew opponents on Thursday. He allowed the Thunderbolts to load the bases and score once in the first inning.
But he remained calm and helped Sandburg rally to claim a 7-3 victory. And today he is being recognized for his fearless performance as the Patch Athlete of the Week.
The first inning was Chmielewski's rockiest, but he didn't let it shake him. With the bases loaded for Andrew, Chmielewski walked Phil Bria, which allowed the T-Bolts to push across one run. The bases still were loaded when Chmielewski struck out Justin Rzeszutko to get the Eagles out of the inning.
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Chmielweski allowed Andrew only one hit in his next three innings of work. He allowed two more run to score in the bottom of the fifth inning before he was called off the mound. But, by that time, the Eagles' victory was safe in hand.
