Randolph knocks off Lyle-Pacelli baseball team in Section 1A tournament

Published 2:02 pm Saturday, June 4, 2016

ROCHESTER — The Lyle-Pacelli baseball team ran into a grueling pitcher’s duel in a Section 1A elimination game and they came up a little short.

The Athletics were knocked off by Randolph (21-3 overall) by a score of 1-0, despite a solid pitching effort from LP senior ace Daniel Bollingberg, who was pitching on one day’s rest as he started his third game on the mound in a span of six days.

Lyle-Pacelli’s Ethan Arett is tagged out by Randolph catcher David Speight in a Section 1A elimination game at Rochester Century High School Saturday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Lyle-Pacelli’s Ethan Arett is tagged out by Randolph catcher David Speight in a Section 1A elimination game at Rochester Century High School Saturday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Randolph’s only run was an unearned one in the first inning as Bollingberg struck out eight and allowed just three hits.

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“He wanted to keep his arm and he took some speed off. He did a great job,” LP head coach Brock Meyer said. “Losing him is going to be a huge deal, but the way he put us on his back for the last couple of weeks pitching-wise, I can’t say enough about him.”

LP had a couple of chances to get a run in as it had runners on first and third with two outs in the third and a runner on second with one out in the fifth, but Randolph pitcher Nathan Overby kept them in check. Overby allowed just three hits and he struck out nine.

“He throws hard and you’ve got to give him credit. He throws strikes and he doesn’t walk anybody,” Meyer said of Overby. “He’s kind of just like Daniel is and he’s going to go onto a good career. We just wanted to put the ball in play a little bit more than we did, but you’ve got to give hats off to him.”

LP and Randolph played each other three times this season and all three games were decided by just one run. The Rockets took two of those games.

LP (18-5 overall) will turn a new leaf next season as the program will miss seniors Lee Bauer, Jordan Cotter, Braden Kocer and Bollingberg.

Meyer hopes his team, which includes a few freshman and a couple of middle schoolers, will put in the necessary work for next season.

Zach Bollingberg scoops up a ground ball against Randolph in a Section 1A elimination game in Rochester Century Saturday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Zach Bollingberg scoops up a ground ball against Randolph in a Section 1A elimination game in Rochester Century Saturday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

“The seniors set a precedent for these kids to keep working hard in the summer,” Meyer said. “I told them they’ve got to get better and it’s not just for baseball. It’s for football and basketball too. There’s programs in place and they now know what it takes to get here. It’s a grind for sure.”

Randolph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 1 5 1

LP 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 3 2

LP pitching: Daniel Bollingberg (L) 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 8 K

LP hitting: Daniel Bollingberg, 1-for-2, 2 SB, BB; Bryce Strouf, 1-for-3; Lee Bauer, 0-for-3; Jordan Cotter, 0-for-3; Braden Kocer, 0-for-3; Taylor Arett, 0-for-3; Cory Webber, 0-for-3; Brady Lester, 1-for-3; Jed Nelson, 0-for-1