Written by Mike Rosenbaum
No. 14 Vianney battles back to beat No. 23 DeSmet

In a Metro Catholic League match up on Tuesday, No. 14 Vianney held on for a 6-5 win against No. 23 DeSmet, after trailing 4-1 headed into the fourth inning.  As anticipated, the game was an absolute battle from the very first pitch and maintained the playoff-like intensity throughout.

DeSmet jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, after DH Zack Caldwell plated 2B Killian Knowles with his fourth home run of the season.

After being retired in order in the first, Vianney?s offense came alive as CF Ryan Snyder lead off the second with a single and stole second base.  The Griffins? next batter, C Jack Klages (right), drove him in with a single to right-center. 

The Spartans got the run right back in the bottom half of the inning, as 1B Chris Arends belted his fourth long ball of the season, a solo shot to deep left-centerfield that gave them a 3-1 lead.

DeSmet increased their lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the third when 3B Brian Graf?s single drove in LHP/OF Kyle Bouman, who had singled to start the Spartans? two out rally.

Vianney responded with three runs in the top of third to tie the game, and in the process, showcased why their offense is regarded as one of the best in Missouri.  After Klages got things started with a single and LF Zach Kneese (left) reached on an infield error, 3B Nick Ulrich made it a 4-2 game with an RBI single.  With two outs, 2B Clay Pfeiffer blooped an infield single just past the mound that plated Knese, and SS Jake Walters followed with an RBI single through the left side.

After clawing their way back from an early 4-1 deficit, the Griffins took their first lead of the game in the top of the fifth.  Snyder got things going once again with a lead off single, and after a pair of groundouts, stood on third base with two outs.  Knese then hit a pop up to shallow left field that ultimately dropped in for a double after DeSmet SS Zak Larkin and LF Nick Rumpling collided while attempting to make the play.

Vianney?s lead lasted only an inning, however, as DeSmet OF Brandon Gutzler (right) smacked a game-tying, solo home run in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game.  With two outs in the frame, the sophomore turned around a 2-0 fastball for his third home run of the season.

Just as he had in the second and fifth innings, Snyder lead off the top of seventh with a big hit, doubling off the left-centerfield wall.  With Klages up to bat, Snyder advanced to third on a wild pitch, and then just minutes later, scored on a passed ball to give Vianney a 7-6 lead.

?I came up to the plate and was just thinking that I?ve got to do anything I can to get on base,? said Synder when asked about his approach to his final at bat.  ?With the last inning coming up and DeSmet at the top of their order, I was just thinking get on base. But I got lucky and put a good swing on it and ended up on second base.?

Although DeSmet refused to go down without a fight, they ultimately came up short in their final at bat.  With two outs in the inning, pinch hitter INF Pat Hoff singled to keep hope alive, but the next hitter grounded out to end both the threat and the game.

LHP Kyle Bouman was the tough luck loser for DeSmet, despite tossing his second complete game of the season.  The Wichita State-bound senior was sharp, allowing four earned runs on 11 hits while walking one and recording 10 strikeouts.  The south paw featured a fastball that sat 82-85 mph and reached as high as 87 mph.

In the seventh inning he accomplished the rare feat of striking out four hitters while touching 86 mph at least once on each hitter.  To complement his heater, Bouman used a 75-78 mph change up, as well as a 68-69 mph curveball.

For the Spartans, Caldwell and Arends both finished the game 1-for-3 with a home run, and Gutzler turned in another strong performance, going 2-for-3 with the dramatic, game-tying home run.

Both Klages and Knese turned in a 2-for-4 performance for Vianney, and each drove in a run and stole a base (Knese stole two).

However, it was the bat of Ryan Synder ? who entered the game hitting a robust .687 ? that kept them in the game and greatly contributed to the victory.  The senior was 3-for-5 with a double and three runs scored; all three hits were to lead off an inning in which he eventually scored a run.

?Kyle?s (Bouman) a good pitcher; he mixes up his stuff well. He?s got a good change up?threw me a lot of those, and his fastball is sneaky and has some good movement to it,? Snyder said of the DeSmet left-hander.

?I was just trying to put a good swing on the ball and put it in play; just try to make something happen up there,? he added.

After a tough loss at home on Friday to CBC, head coach Scott Brown was pleased with his squad?s response.

?Friday we had our first conference game against CBC and I thought that we came out flat against a real good pitcher in David Schmidt.  One thing I talked about today was having a better attitude and being more aggressive.  More importantly, playing to win the game rather than playing not to lose,? he said of his team?s preparation.

?I think that we did a much better job approaching it that way than we did on Friday,? he added. ?It was a nice step for us.?

Vianney?s starter, RHP Michael Dillion (right) picked up a no decision after giving up four runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.  He walked three and struck out two. 

RHP Brandon Schlictig picked up the win for the Griffins, and was strong in 1 2/3 innings of relief ? the Gutzler home run as the only blemish on his line.  The senior struck out three of the six hitters that he faced thanks to a sharp, 12-to-6 curveball.

RHP Teddy Rule was also impressive out of the Vianney bullpen, pitching the final inning and picking up his second save of the season.  The junior showed a live fastball at 84-86 mph, as well as a solid change up at 74-75 mph.

Considering that Vianney was averaging 11.5 runs per game prior to Tuesday?s game, they?ve seldom had the opportunity to utilize the arms in their bullpen.

?I told the guys that when we get into conference games, we?re going to need to use them and that they?ll have to step up, said head coach Scott Brown.

?I thought they did a great job today, coming in and throwing strikes.  We thought that Brandon?s curveball might work well against these guys, and we like Teddy finishing things off.  He?s going to be big for us this year, he just hasn?t had the chance to pitch a whole lot,? he noted.

With the victory, Vianney improves to 2-1 in the MCC and 12-2 overall, while DeSmet?s conference record falls to 0-2.  They are 9-4 overall this season. 

 

Jackson vs Notre Dame

Notre Dame suffered their first loss of the season to Jackson on Tuesday afternoon. With the win, Jackson (6-3) snapped the dominant twenty four game winning streak of the Notre Dame Bulldogs (6-1). Senior Logan Bartles went five innings giving up one run on six hits, and stuck our six on the afternoon.

Jackson got on the board in the third inning. Singles by Bartles and Zack McDowell put runners on the corners.  McDowell attempted to steal second base and Notre Dame pitcher Cody Heisserer picked him (McDowell) off, with the throw going to second base. Bar les broke for home on the pickoff attempt and slid under the thre for the first run of the game.

Bobby Clark added to the 1-0 lead with an RBI double in the fifth, and Jackson got two insurance runs in the seventh.