Varsity Baseball

April 9^th, 2019

Lansing Catholic Cougars @ Grand Ledge Comets

Game 1: Grand Ledge 10, Lansing Catholic 3

After a season opening split against Brighton, the Comets were back in action Tuesday night playing host to the Lansing Catholic Cougars.

Senior Payton Wieber took the mound for Grand Ledge. The Cougars got to Wieber early, stringing together 3 hits and plating 2 runs, presenting the Comets with an early deficit. Senior Braedon Stoakes let of the bottom of the first with a single, but that was all the Comets would get as the next 3 hitters struck out.

Wieber settled down in the second, making quick work of the Cougars but the Comets offense also remained quiet as we head to the third, 2-0 Cougars.

After a 1-out walk, Lansing Catholic was able to push across a run, extending their lead to 3-0.

In the bottom of the third, the Comets would finally find their way onto the scoreboard. Sophomore Noah Warren led off with a walk, and after a single by Senior Aaron West, Junior Logan Hylek scored both runners with a triple off the centerfield fence. Two batters later, Junior Devin Gardella hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield for the third run of the inning and tying the ballgame.

Junior Nathan Lehman entered the game in the fourth, and despite allowing two hits and one walk, no runs were allowed.

Grand Ledge would break the game open with a 5-run fourth inning, featuring a RBI single by Stoakes and a 2-run double by West.

Lehman was back out for the fifth, allowed two runners and got 2 outs. Senior Justin Meister came on to strikeout a Cougar for the final out of the inning. The Comets were also held scoreless in the fifth.

Meister stayed on for the sixth and made quick work of the Cougars, striking out one and getting an inning-ending double-play ball.

Grand Ledge extended their lead when four straight singles by Sophomore Logan Todd, Gardella, Sophomore Kaden Nowak and Senior Logan Ashley scored 2 additional runs for the Comets.

Todd came on to close the door for Grand Ledge in the seventh, giving the Comets a 10-3 win in Game One.

Winning Pitcher: Nathan Lehman (1-0)

Wieber: 3IP 5H 3R 2ER 1BB 3K

Lehman: 1.2IP 3H 0R 2BB 3K

Meister: 1.1IP 1H 2K

West: 2-4, 1B, 2B, 2 RBI, R

Hylek: 2-4, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI, 2R

Game 2: Grand Ledge 2, Lansing Catholic 3

In Game Two, the Comets sent Junior RJ Bohnet to the mound.

After the leadoff hitter reach on an error, Bohnet retired the next three hitters quickly. In the bottom-half of the first, the Comets looked to pushed runs across early. Stoakes led the inning off with a triple and then West walked. Hylek then flied out to center, scoring Stoakes. After a single by Logan Todd, Gardella laced a single to center, scoring West and giving the Comets and early 2-0 lead.

Bohnet was efficient in the second, setting down the side on seven pitches, but the Comets also were set down quickly, despite a single by Stoakes.

In the third, Bohnet was once again getting outs quickly, pitching around an error and tossing another scoreless inning. In the home half of the third, the Comets were retired in order. Still 2-0 Comets headed to the fourth.

After the first batter was retired, the Cougars finally got to Bohnet, piecing together 4 straight hits and tying the ballgame, 2-2.

Sophomore Kaden Nowak led the fourth off with a double and reached third base on a flyout but was unable to score.

Bohnet would find his rhythm once again, getting two groundouts and a flyout to keep the game tied. The Comet offense remained in a slump as they are set down in order once again.

Meister come on in the sixth and got two strikeouts and a groundout to hold the Cougars down. Unfortunately, the Comets were also quiet, going down quickly.

Both teams failed to score in the seventh, and we head to extra innings under the lights!

The Cougars leadoff man reach on a single and a sacrifice bunt moved the runner to second base. With one-out, Meister got a groundball but the ball was misplayed, trickling into centerfield allowing the go-ahead run to score.

Down one, the Comets head to the plate with the middle of their order due up, but there are set down in order, giving the Cougars the 3-2 victory.

Losing pitcher: Justin Meister (1-1)

Bohnet: 5IP 4H 2R 2ER 2K

Meister: 3IP 2H 1R 0ER 3K

Stoakes: 2-3, 1B, 3B, R