Zack Mathes drove in the deciding run for the second straight day as the Kahoks defeated Piasa Southwestern 3-0 Wednesday in non-conference play.

Tanner Houck / Photo by Roger Starkey

Mathes’ sixth-inning, two-out single to score Aaron Peskar was all the run support Collinsville ace Tanner Houck needed. In front of five professional scouts, Houck threw a complete game one-hitter, striking out 14 without issuing a walk.

Collinsville Head Coach Pete Trapp said it was one of Houck’s better performances this year.

“The mentality he had…he went out and attacked and attacked,” Trapp said.

Houck struck out seven of the first nine he faced, and four of the final six. It was the second straight start in which Houck threw a complete game one-hitter. He defeated Belleville West 7-0 on April 29.

Mathes’ game-winning hit against the Piasa Birds (17-10) was the second time in two days he won the game at the plate for Collinsville (14-10). He drew a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the seventh inning against Alton Tuesday to send the Kahoks to victory.

Mathes stole second, following his sixth-inning single, and scored when Ryan Hoffmann reached on an error. Houck ensured he had more runs than he would need when he singled home Hoffmann.

Collinsville has made a habit of scoring late in games recently, something about which Trapp has mixed emotions.

“If you have the ability to score runs late in the game, you should have the belief that you’re always in every game,” Trapp said. “I would like to score early and late…and middle…would be better.”

Collinsville could muster only three hits and four walks Wednesday.

The Kahoks host East St. Louis at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at Fletcher Field.