We’ve come to the final four: Toledo, Wright State, Xavier, and Youngstown State. After part I had a high, part II followed with a low. Fittingly part III is right in the middle.
While one team went west, another went east with two staying home trying to avoid raindrops. Fortunately weather didn’t cause too much havoc on this quartet. With one team coming as close as you can for a perfect weekend, another overpowering an in-state school and a solid victory in the group, collectively it was a weekend in the middle. Here’s the week and weekend that was for these teams.
Toledo Rockets Overall: 6-6, Week 1-4
On spring break, the Rockets found waters a bit rocky. After a fast 5-2 start the Rockets returned to Ohio trying to keep their heads above water.
After playing in the Caravelle Classic in Conway, South Carolina the Rockets stayed in the Palmetto State. The week started with a midweek game at College of Charleston a 14-3 loss.
Starting pitcher Matt Kuna was unable to get through the third inning, going just 2.1 innings allowing eight hits and six runs in the loss. Jared Locke would surrender five more runs, three that were earned as CoC led 12-5 after five. Kuna would be unable to support a Rocket offense that provided him with three first inning runs, two more in the second staking him to a 5-0 lead.
Offensively Tim Krofcheck and Jim Valahik each with 1-for-4 with a home run. Joe Corfman and Matt Delewski both would go 2-for-4 with a double in the loss.
After a day off the Rockets were back on the winning track as they defeated Winthrop in the Johnny Gill Memorial Classic in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
In the 5-4 win, starter Kyle Shaw went 5.1 innings, allowing seven hits, four runs, three earned while striking out six. Mike Inselmann (1.2 1 H, 0 R), Matt Suschak (1.0, 2 0), and Matt Zahel (1.0, 2, 0) would provide brilliant relief pitching to close out the win, with Zahel picking up his second save on the season.
Krofcheck would continue to build on an outstanding season with 2-for-4, RBI and a run scored effort. Aaron Dudley would collect three hits in his four at-bats, while Dan Sherwood and Jason Edwards each added two hits.
The tournament opener would unfortunately be the peak of the Rockets’ weekend and not a game to build upon. Thursday’s close game was matched by two tight contests on Friday as Toledo met Canisius and had a rematch with Winthrop.
Falling 3-2 to Canisius the Rockets squandered a brilliant pitching performance. Starter Mike Hamman allowed one run over seven innings, scattering six hits without yielding a walk, falling in line for the victory. Suschak sent Canisius down 1-2-3 in the eighth inning, all on strikeouts, before turning the ball over to Zahel.
A one-out double followed by a home run would tack two runs on Zahel’s line, giving Canisius the victory.
Jared Hoying and Delewski scored the two runs for Toledo as both went 1-for-4 as the Rockets were able to record just four hits.
The tough loss to Canisius would be followed by a tough loss to Winthrop who matched the previous day’s score, reversing it for a 5-4 win in their favor, and just like game one, the winning run would score in the ninth inning.
After starter Lincoln Rassi went seven innings allowing four runs on four hits, Tyler Scott pitched a scoreless eighth inning keeping the game tied at four. Toledo coach Cory Mee would turn to Inselmann to keep the game tied at four and have extra-innings decide the fate. except that wasn’t what Winthrop was thinking.
A walk, a sacrifice bunt, and single up the middle would end the game in favor of Winthrop. Another cool date at the plate would see Chris Dudics be the lone Rocket with a multi-hit game with his 2-for-4 showing. Just two extra-base hits would come way of Toledo both being doubles, one by Dudics and the other by pinch-hitter Mark Lapikas. Those two along with Dudley and Hoying represented the four Toledo RBI.
Just when you think it couldn’t get worse, how about Canisius scoring two runs in the bottom of the eighth to win 10-9 in the weekend finale.
After a slow offensive weekend, Sherwood with three hits led the 13-hit Rocket attack. Dudics, Dudley, Corfman, and Delewski each added a pair of hits as Toledo jumped out to a 5-1 lead after four, and a 9-7 lead after six. Starter Cody Umbright would allow seven runs in 4.1 innings of work. Alex Radon would do a serviceable job out of the bullpen allowing one unearned run on three hits in 2.2 innings. A hit batter and a home run to right off Locke would be the final two runs for the Griffs.
Wright State Raiders Overall: 4-7, Week 1-0
As rain played would alter plans for the Flyers, it changed plans as well for the other Dayton school Wright State. The Raiders were only able to get Friday’s game versus Oakland in before rain washed away their weekend.
In the 12-5 win Alex Kaminsky improved to 2-1 on the year. In true Kaminsky fashion outstanding command was displayed as the right-handed pitcher struck out eight while walking none. In eight innings Kaminsky allowed seven hits and fine runs. Michael Schum pitched the ninth allowing a hit while striking out one.
At the plate 16 Wright State hits were tallied against Grizzlies’ pitching. The bats would be led by the 1-4 hitters, R.J. Gundolff, Jake Hibberd, Casey McGrew, and Quentin Cate who went a combined 10-for 18 on the day. Gundolff and Hibberd each went 3-for-5 with Gundolff scoring three driving in two, while Hibberd scored two and drove in three.
McGrew and Cate had identical 2-for-4 showings, each scored a run with McGrew driving in a rune while Cate batted in two.
Xavier Musketeers Overall: 2-12, Week 1-4
It feels like LeMoyne is a Buckeye State school with how many games they’ve played against Ohio competition. To be honest I don’t even know where LeMoyne is but I know they’re pesky. The latest victim to fall to LeMoyne is Xavier. In the home opener for the Musketeers the hosts fell 6-2.
Bobby Freking and Ryan Bellamy each went 2-for-4, accounting for half of Xavier’s hits. Drew Schmidt and John McCambridge each collected a hit while scoring a run each.
For awhile two runs seemed to be enough for the win as starting pitcher Markus Kuykendoll tossed six innings allowing five hits against just one run. Josh Murphy pitched a scoreless seventh keeping the hosts in front. Shan Liska would allow one hit, aided by poor fielding as LeMoyne scored three runs, one earned against him in the eighth. Josh Deeg recorded the three outs in the inning before Alex Vice wrapped it up with his ninth inning that included three hits and two runs to wrap up the outing.
The weekend would see Xavier play their fourth road series of the weekend, once again against pretty stout competition as the Musketeers traveled to Columbia, Missouri to tangle with the Mizzou Tigers.
As has been the trend of the season, Xavier competed against top competition, but couldn’t secure the weekend series.
On Friday it took 13 innings before a victor was decided in the 7-6 loss. An early 4-0 hole was erased when the visitors put five on the board in the third inning to take a brief lead in support of starting pitcher Nate Mutsch. When Mutsch’s day was done his line read 6.0 innings pitching, seven hits, six runs, three walks, and three strikeouts and the score tied at six.
The score would stay tied at six for a long time. Deeg pitched amazingly from the pen, going five innings, allowing just one hit while striking out seven batters. Unfortunately Murphy was unable to keep the Tigers at bay any longer as two walks were sandwiched with a single in the bottom of the 13th before a sac fly to rightfield scored the deciding run. Murphy finished the game with 1.1 innings of work, allowing a hit, two walks, with one strikeout.
The extra-inning affair provided numerous at-bats up and down the line-up for Xavier with Schmidt leading the way collecting three hits in seven at-bats. Neil Lindgren and Daniel Rod each grabbed two hits in four at-bats, while Phil Bauer collected two hits in four official at-bats, drawing two walks in the loss.
Another hard-fought loss would occur on Saturday as Xavier fell 4-2. Coach Googins received solid pitching from starter Tommy Shirley who went 5.2 innings, allowing just four hits and two runs. Shirley walked three while striking out seven in the solid outing. In from the pen Brian Muransky allowed three hits, and two runs in 2.1 innings of pitching to fall to 0-3 on the year.
In the game where Xavier could only rack up six hits, the line-up was led by Ben Thomas who went 2-for-4 with both RBI. Patrick Paligraf also went 2-for-4 on the afternoon.
With one last chance to salvage the weekend, Xavier came up big in a 5-1 win on Sunday. Jon Richard would match Shirley with an outstanding outing on the mound as Richard improved to 2-1 on the year with his performance of six innings, one-hit, no-run baseball. Alex Vice picked up his second save on the year getting the last out of the game. In between the two Seth Willoughby tossed 2.2 innings, allowing two hits, and one run to complete the three-hitter.
Offensively it was Lindgren and Freking leading the attack, both had a double and a RBI in their 2-for-4 outings. Schmidt would score two runs, with Bauer and Thomas each providing a RBI in the victory.
Youngstown State Overall: 6-5 Week: 4-1
Coach Pasquale’s squad shook off a slow start with a solid week, collecting four wins to move above .500 on the year.
A mid-week set at Lipscomb was split winning 9-8 on Tuesday and falling 8-2 on Wednesday.
In the first of two games, Anthony Porter carried a hot bat from the Cincinnati series to Tennessee with a 3-for-4, two run, four RBI day, that included a home run to pace the Penguins. Also having a big day, or at-bat would be Greg Dissinger. Called on to pinch hit in the eighth with the bases loaded, Dissinger made Pasquale look like a very smart man as his first home run of the year would be a grand slam.
On the mound starter Alex Oles went five strong, allowing five hits, four runs of which just one was earned. The win would go to Eric Marzec who pitched the final two innings without allowing a hit and striking out four.
The second game with Lipscomb wouldn’t be nearly as nice for the visitors. A rough day on the mound was had for Cody Dearth as he allowed five runs of five hits in three innings to take the loss. Alex Frey and Bill Turosky each had a scoreless inning out of the bullpen to close out the game.
Offensively Marzec led the Penguins with three hits in five at-bats. Jacke Healey’s two-run home run in the third to momentarily tie the game account for both runs.
The weekend would bring YSU their second-consecutive three-game set with an Ohio opponent, this time taking on NAIA Walsh.
The Penguins proved to be too much for the Canton institute sweeping the three games played in Chillicothe 9-2, 6-4, 13-6.
In game one Aaron Swenson pitched a complete game, allowing two runs off five hits. In throwing 123 pitches the righty racked up 13 strikeouts against two walks.
Youngstown State would belt out 13 hits in the victory, led by the heart of their order. Marzec who had three in four at-bats would score two runs while driving in three as the team’s #3 hitter. The man right before him, Healey, would go 2-for-4 with three runs, and two RBI, as he hit his fourth home run of the season. The two were in good company as cleanup-hitter Porter went 2-for-4 with three RBI, as he also hit a home run, his third of the season.
Game two of Friday’s double-header would be a seven inning affair and a contest much closer than game one. Ultimately the Penguins pulled out the victory as Healey collected another home run in his 2-for-3, three RBI game to lead YSU. On the mound Anthony Munoz started the game and went four innings in the win. Now 1-2 Munoz allowed three runs from five hits and struck out five. Marzec allowed a run and two hits as he pitched the seventh for his third save.
Saturday’s series finale saw Phil Klein take the mound and pick up the win. The lanky righty pitched five innings, giving up five hits, two earned runs, three total runs, issuing four walks against five strikeouts. Each team traded single runs in the first three innings, and it wasn’t until an eighth inning six spot by the Penguins that the game was no longer in doubt.
It would once again be Healey who paced the Penguins at the plate. Another 3-for-4 showing with three RBI was had for the first baseman. Leadoff hitter Armani Johnson would set the table for Healey as he also tallied three hits in four at-bats. Johnson drove in two runs while scoring three times. Tom Clayton, and C.J. Morris each went 2-for-4. Porter in two at-bats, Zac McFarland in five, and Joe Iacobucci in three, each added two hits for Youngstown State who finished with 19 on the day.
Filed under: Division I
