Danville catcher Will Portera delivers walk-off winner over Normal

Jun. 26—DANVILLE — Will Portera isn't afraid to put in a little extra work.

In the Danville Dans last home game before a six-day road trip on June 16, he along with pitcher John Gassler spent several hours after the team's 13-0 victory working on the home plate area at Danville Stadium.

Back at the friendly confines of Danville Stadium on Friday night against the Normal Cornbelters, Portera did a little more work after hours at the plate.

This time, he did it with a wooden bat rather than a shovel and rake.

Portera delivered a two-out, game-winning single to center in the bottom of the ninth as the Danville Dans defeated the Normal CornBelters 4-3 in a Prospect League contest.

"I think the new batter's box probably helped get me that hit," Portera joked. "I guess it shows that hard work pays off."

The single by Portera came at 11:58 p.m. as the 6:30 contest was delayed for 2 hours, 28 minutes because of a transmission leak with Normal bus on its way to Danville.

"A lot of craziness," Danville manager Eric Coleman said. "Those things happen in summer collegiate baseball. Our guys needed to come with the mindset of anytime that we have to play, we play. No matter what time it is.

"We were fortunate to be on the right side."

Actually, Friday night was supposed to be a night off for Portera, but an injury to starting catcher Kodey Shojinaga in the third inning and then the use of pinch-runner Trey Higgins III for replacement Gray Bane in the eighth inning forced Portera to take over as catcher in the ninth.

"When we found out about their bus, I thought to myself, thank goodness I don't have to play in this game," Portera said. "In about the eighth inning, coach (Patrick) Morey tells me, 'get your mind right to catch.'"

Portera caught just 10 pitches in the top of the ninth as Danville reliever Landon Tompkins (1-1) struck out the side.

So, now, it was time to start thinking about hitting.

"Honestly, I was hoping that we were going to win it before I got to the plate," said Portera, who was the sixth scheduled hitter in the ninth.

Things got off to a good start for the Dans (15-7) as designated hitter Jack Ellis, who had a two-run homer in the seventh, drew a leadoff walk.

"It was a battle to try and get on base," said Ellis.

Coleman turned to his newest player, brining in Paxton Kling to pinch run for Ellis.

Kling, the top high school player in Pennsylvania in 2021 and 2022, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by Normal catcher John Stalcup.

"My type of player," Coleman said of the future LSU Tiger. "There is a reason why he is considered a top draft pick coming up in the draft and why he is going to LSU, one of the top-20 programs in the country."

Cam Swanger drove home the tying run on a groundout that went off the first baseman's glove to shortstop and then back to first for the second out.

With the game tied 3-3, Danville's BJ Banyon reached on the second error of the inning by Normal and then he stole second. The CornBelters walked Will Carpenter to bring Portera to the plate.

"My nerves were going a little bit, but the only thing going through my mind was 'man, let's get out of here. Let's end this game,'" Portera said.

And that's exactly what he did with a single to center.

After touching first base, Portera looked back and saw his entire team running at him from the dugout.

"I decided to have a little fun and I took off for center field," he said. "I didn't want them to catch me."

It took a few seconds but eventually his teammates caught him, but it was still a pretty decent display of speed for a catcher.

"I only caught a half inning, so I was still pretty fresh," said Portera, who is actually a catcher/infielder from the University of Alabama.

While Portera delivered the game-winning hit, Coleman noted that the two-run homer by the left-handed hitting Ellis in the seventh inning was the spark that the Dans needed after being shutout for the first six innings by Normal left-hander Bode Gebbink.

"Their lefty (Gebbink), I give him credit, he kept us off-balance and did a good job." Coleman said. "Ellis got the offense going and to hit it off a left-handed pitcher is always good to see."

It was the first homer of Prospect League season for Ellis, a junior-to-be at Campbell University this fall.

"I have struggled in past summer to get that first homer," said Ellis, who was 4-for-21 in his first five games with the Dans. "It feels good to get it out of the way kind of early in the summer for me."

Jackson Conn went the first three innings for the Dans, allowing 1 run on no hits.

Sam Whiting went the next four frames, allowing just two runs on three hits before Tompkins got the final six outs — four by strikeout.