Stratton wins again; LOGM routs Spring Grove
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, April 9, 2002
Southland's Zach Stratton earned his second victory in as many games as the Rebel baseball team split a cross-conference doubleheader with Rushford-Peterson Monday night in Adams.
Rushford-Peterson countered with their staff ace in the second game as Jake Merchlewitz struck out 15 Southland batters in a 5-2 Trojan triumph. The Rebels racked up just three hits in the loss.
Stratton went the distance for the win in the first game, striking out seven while walking none and allowing only four hits. R-P scored all three of their runs in the third inning, taking a 3-2 lead for the time being.
Southland countered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth and three more in the fifth. Derek Berndt had two singles and an RBI to lead the Rebels.
Merchlewitz silenced Southland's bats in game two, scattering three hits amidst 15 strikeouts. Berndt suffered the loss for the Rebel pitching staff, getting relieved in the second inning by Greg Retterath after Rushford-Peterson had pushed across its five runs.
Southland struck for single runs in the third and fourth innings, but that would be all in the Rebels' first loss of the season.
J.J. Pettit and Zach Mierau each had two singles for the Trojans (1-1), and Mierau added an RBI.
Stratton's double highlighted Southland's limited offense in game two.
The Rebels, now 2-1 overall, host Southeast Conference East Division champ Caledonia for a cross-conference doubleheader Friday in Adams.
LOGM sweeps Spring Grove
LeRoy-Ostrander/Grand Meadow began the new season with a pair of decisive victories, trouncing cross-conference opponent Spring Grove in a doubleheader Monday night in LeRoy, 10-0 and 15-4.
Ryan King surrendered only two hits in the first game, going the distance with five strikeouts and three walks. Grant Lunning, Dustin Thorson and Shane Bunne each had two of LOGM's eight hits. Thorson had a double and a triple and two runs scored.
The game went only five innings because of the 10-run rule. LOGM led 10-0 after scoring once in the bottom of the fourth.
Thorson's hot bat continued into the second game, where he went 3-4 with two doubles, a home run, three RBIs and three runs scored. King, Jacob Rowe and Chad Doocy added two hits apiece, while Lunning was 1-3 with a double and three runs scored.
Tony Stejskal, who played a strong defensive game behind the plate according to first-year coach Dan Dow, had one hit and two RBIs in the nightcap.
"We've still gotta work on every aspect of the game, but we did improve as the game went on," Coach Dow said. "But there were some times when we looked pretty poor at the plate."
LOGM, the defending Southeast Conference West Division co-champion, travels to Houston for a non-conference doubleheader Friday night.
Call Ross Thede at 434-2234 or e-mail him at :mailto:sports@austindailyherald.com.
Linescores:
SG00000--026
LOGM4141x--1080
King and Stejskal. WP--King (1-0). 2B--Thorson, Rowe.
LOGM01455--15143
SG12001--423
Rowe, Thorson (4) and Stejskal. WP--Rowe (1-0). 2B--Thorson 2, Lunning, Rowe. HR--Thorson.