Schools
A Gray and Gloomy Game for USM Wildcats
University School sunk by Racine St. Catherine Thursday.
A cold and grey afternoon turned even gloomier for the baseball team Thursday as the Wildcats dropped a Midwest Classic Conference South game to their visitors from Racine St. Catherine's 17-10.
The Wildcats led early, by scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Lane Stanford led off and reached on an error. Nathan Burke then doubled sending Stanford to third. With one out, Tommy Pennington grounded out but drove in Stanford. Billy Lawton then singled to score Burke.
The Angel’s went ahead with four runs in the top of the second. Shey Smith led off the inning with a single. With one out, Luke Mason doubled to drive in Smith. Eric Weisbrod then walked. Eric Eitel reached on a fielder’s choice that erased Mason at third and moved Weisbrod to second. Cody Ortiz reached on an error that scored Weisbrod and Eitel. Ortiz raced to second on the play. A passed ball allowed Ortiz to reach third. Joel Hollow reached on an error that scored Ortiz.
St, Catherine’s added two more in the top of the third. Smith led off with a single and Gunnar Neale also singled. Smith and Neale performed a double steal before Mason popped a bunt over the mound that dropped in for a base hit and sent Smith in with a run. With one out, Eitel hit a sacrifice fly to left to drive in Neale and give St. Catherine’s a 6-2 lead.
Burke led off the bottom of the third with a fly ball that dropped between the center and left fielder for a double. Josh Baker then walked. Pennington reached on error and Burke scored. Lawton reached on a fielder’s choice to drive in Burke. Pennington was safe at second on the play and Baker scored. With two outs, Jack Wells singled to drive in Pennington and make the score 6-5.
USM went ahead 8-6 with three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Stanford led off and reached on an error by the center fielder. Burke singled to center and Stanford went to third. Baker singled to drive in Stanford. With one out, Lawton singled to load the bases. Ben Myers then hit a sacrifice fly to score Burke and send Baker to third. Baker scored on a balk.
The Angels’ iced the game by scoring seven runs in the top of the fifth. Mason led off and reached on an error. Alex Macdonald then walked. The runners moved up on a passed ball. Eitel then doubled down the left field line, and Ortiz did the same. Hollow followed with a sharp single. Simons flew out to deep short and Ortiz came in after tagging up. A.J. Kaprelian reached on an infield single advancing Hollow to third. Smith reached on a fielder’s choice, Hollow scored, and Kaprelian moved to third on the throw. Neal then singled in Kaprelian. Neal was out trying to advance to second but Smith scored on the play.
The Wildcats got one back in the bottom of the fifth. Wells led off with a single and stole second. He went to third on Agrawal’s single. With one out, Burke reached on a fielder’s choice and Wells came home on the play.
St, Catherine’s got four more in the top of the sixth to make it 17-9. Macdonald singled and went to second on Ortiz’s single. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch. Hollow walked and Simons doubled to center scoring three. Kaprelian singled to drive in Hollow.
The Wildcats added one in the seventh. Stanford walked with one out, advanced on Burke’s ground out after Baker walked Stanford came home on Pennington’s RBI single.
In the game Ortiz got the win while Burke took the loss in relief. Wells and Lawton were 3 for 4 for USM. Lawton had 2 RBIs. Baker was 2 for 3 with an RBI and Burke was 2 for 5 with two RBIs for USM.
St, Catherine’s is now 6-1 overall and 3-1 in the conference. USM is 5-2 overall and 3-1 in the conference. Weather permitting, the Wildcats have a non-conference game against Mayville at 4:30 p.m. on Friday at USM.
