The SXU Cougar baseball team played host to Cardinal Stritch University (Wis.) in a split double-header on Wednesday, and then met the University of St. Francis squad in a difficult Senior Day loss on Friday.
Wednesday—Game 1
Game one, an 8-5 loss, was a sloppy affair for SXU. Senior pitcher Lucas Fritsch started for the Cougars and struck out six in the seven-inning affair wile giving up eight runs on eleven hits. Only one of those runs was earned, as Fritsch’s defense committed four costly errors.
Fritsch didn’t get much help from his offense, either. Two walks to lead off the second set the table for a three-run inning. Freshman shortstop Alec Barnhart singled to left-center field to plate SXU’s first run. Freshman second baseman Brian McQuillan stepped to the plate with runners on second and third and lifted a sacrifice fly to center field. Barnhart then scored on a groundout to second by sophomore third baseman Bryan Villanova.
The Cougars would not score again until the seventh inning. Losing 8-3, senior catcher Tony O’Shea came up with one out and a runner on first and doubled to deep right-center. Pinch hitter Mike Pokers picked up a couple of RBIs with a single, but the lead proved insurmountable for the Cougars.
To make matters worse, the Cougars lost the services of freshman center fielder Jim Augle, who injured his wrist on a diving attempted catch in the seventh inning.
Game 2
Game two proved to be much more fortuitous for the Cougars, who captured an 8-6 win. Sophomore starter Scott Koziol struck out five in five innings, but he gave up five runs to get a no-decision. Fellow sophomore Dan Wetzel came on in relief and gave up only one run on four hits over the final 3 1/3 innings to earn the win.
The offense came alive at crucial moments. In the fourth inning, down 3-0, freshman Steve Carrabotta walked with a runner on third. Carrabotta, playing center field in place of Augle, stole second to put two in scoring position. O’Shea singled to score both runners.
After Cardinal Stritch stretched its lead to 5-2 in the top of the fifth, the Cougars responded with three runs of their own in the bottom half to tie the game.
Villanova singled and drove in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the seventh inning, but the Cougars were not satisfied with the one-run lead. Senior designated hitter Mike Pokers smacked a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to give Wetzel the breathing room he needed to close out the victory.
Friday—Senior Day
With balloons wriggling in the wind and banners containing the names of the seniors lining the stands, SXU could not pull out a win in the final home game of the season, losing to the University of St. Francis by a score of 11-3.
Despite it being the seniors’ final home game, SXU tried to treat it like any other matchup. “Even though it’s Senior Day, you’ve got to keep the same approach,” said O’Shea. “It’s like any other ballgame, it just happens to be Senior Day.”
That approach did not work as expected for senior lefty Mike Klett, who started the game for the Cougars and allowed eight runs on 13 hits over 5 2/3 innings. Fritsch also had a rough day, allowing three runs (two earned) in 1 1/3 innings of relief work.
SXU’s pitching struggles paled in comparison to the offense’s ineffectiveness. The Cougars had plenty of opportunities, as St. Francis pitching combined to allow nine hits and twelve walks. But timely hitting was not in the cards and the Cougars stranded 20 runners.
O’Shea knew the loss would matter little when he looks back on the season as a whole, though. He already knows what he will remember most: his teammates. They “are really just great, great guys, on and off the field,” he said.
Tim Carroll
Sports Contributor