LAKE WALES, Florida -- The Siena Heights baseball team dropped a pair to seventh-ranked Bellevue (Neb.) on their first day of spring training. The Saints came up short in an eleventh-inning rally for a 5-4 loss in game one. Siena struggled at the plate in game two as the Bruins took home the 9-1 victory. Brad South (Freshman, Lambertville, Mich.) finished 3-for-8 at the plate while scoring two runs and tallied one RBI.
THE BASICS
Final Scores: Game 1: Bellevue (Neb.) 5, Siena Heights 4 Game 2: Bellevue (Neb.) 9, Siena Heights 1
Location: Lake Wales, Florida (Royals Field)
Records: Bellevue (Neb.) (6-7), Siena Heights (0-10)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1: Bellevue (Neb.) def. Siena Heights, 5-4 (11 innings)
Alec Lee for the Bruins got things rolling in the bottom of the second inning with a single to left-field and Zach Diehl doubled to right-field allowing Lee to score on an error by the Saints. Banks made a sacrifice fly to center-field scoring Diehl for an RBI for the 2-0 lead.
Siena put themselves on the board in the top of the third inning as Haydn Smith (Freshman, Perrysburg, Ohio) walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch then advanced to third on a ground out by Cameron Hammer (Freshman, Temperance, Mich.). Logan Nolff (Senior, Monroe, Mich.) singled to right-field allowing Smith to score.
The Saints took the 3-2 lead in the top of the fourth inning as they scored two runs. Nic Olson (Senior, Howell, Mich.) walked and advanced to second on a single by South. Smith reached base on a walk advancing Olson and Smith. Smith would advance to second on an error by the pitcher while scoring Olson and South.
Bellevue knotted things up in the bottom of the fifth inning with Andre Ishii doubling to right-field along with Ziel doubling to left-filed scoring Ishii for an RBI.
After a scoreless sixth and seventh inning, both teams earned a run in the eighth inning to tie the game 4-4. For Siena, Olson doubled to right-center and scored on a single to center field by South. Bruins Tommy Hansen singled up the middle and advanced to second on a ground out by Daniel Teasley. Berry double to center-field scoring Hansen for an RBI.
After a scoreless three innings, the game was pushed to the eleventh-inning. Ishii singled to left-field and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Lee. Josh Benson was intentionally walked and Diel had a walk-off double to left field scoring Ishii for the 5-4 victory.
SAINTS BATTERS
• Nolff went 3-6 with one RBI.
• South went 2-5 scoring one run and earning one RBI.
• Hammer went 2-6.
SAINTS PITCHERS
• Tristan Roth (Senior, Woodville, Ohio) pitched seven innings allowing eight hits and three runs while striking out five.
• Marcus Beeson (Junior, St. Louis Mich.) (L, 1-3) pitched three innings allowing four hits and one run.
THE OPPOSITION HITTING
• Diel went 4-6 had the walk-off hit while earning three RBIs and scoring one run.
• Lee went 3-4 scoring one run.
• Ishii went 2-5 and scored two runs.
THE OPPOSITION PITCHING
• Corey Jackson pitched six innings giving up three hits and runs while striking out nine.
• Derek Browne (W, 2-0) pitched three innings allowing three hits and struck out four.
Game 2: Bellevue (Neb.) def. Siena Heights, 9-1 (7 innings)
After two scoreless innings, Bellevue came out swinging as they scored four runs in the top of the third inning. Teasley singled up the middle and scored off a double to left-center by Riley Baasch. Cody Banks doubled to right-center scoring Bailey Link and Baasch. Banks advanced to third on a wild pitch and Ishii walked then stole second. Lee singled to third base allowing Banks to score for the 4-0 lead.
After another pair of scoreless innings, the Bruins tallied three runs in the top of the sixth inning. Diehl got things started as he doubled down the left-field line then Teasley was hit by a pitch. Teasley and Diehl both advanced on a wild pitch. Baasch single to left-field scoring Diehl and advancing Teasley. Link reached first on an error by the shortstop scoring Teasley and advancing Baasch. Banks singled to third base as Baasch scored and link advanced to third to give them a 7-0 lead.
Bellevue kept the bats hot earning two more runs at the top of the seventh inning. Hunter Jury singled to left-field and advanced to second as Diehl walked. Baasch tripled to right-field scoring Diehl and Jury for two RBIs.
The Saints struggled at the plate all game as they only recorded six hits the entire game. They were able to finally put themselves on the board in the bottom of the seventh-inning as South singled to left-field and advanced to second base as Thomas Lamnek (Freshman, Locust Grove, Georgia) singled up the middle. Cal Olmstead (Junior, Riga, Mich.) then singled up the middle advancing Lamnek and South. Delver Freites (Senior, Barquisimeto, Venezuela) had a sacrifice fly scoring South for an RBI but the Bruins would take home the 9-1 win.
SAINTS BATTERS
• Lamnek went 2-3.
• South scored one run while going 1-3.
• Olmstead finished 1-3.
SAINTS PITCHERS
• Parker Swartz (Sophomore, Toledo, Ohio) (L, 0-1) pitched six innings allowing 10 hits and seven runs while striking out five.
• Jacob Simmers (Junior, New Boston, Mich.) closed as he pitched one inning allowing two hits and runs as he struck out one.
THE OPPOSITION HITTING
• Baasch finished 3-4 as he tallied four RBIs and scored two runs.
• Banks went 2-4 as he scored one run and had three RBIs.
• Lee finished 2-4 with one RBI.
THE OPPOSITION PITCHING
• Graham Cahill (W, 1-2) pitched seven innings and he allowed six hits and one run as he struck out two.
UP NEXT
The Saints face Spring Arbor in a single game at 11:00 a.m., EST, for day two in Lake Wales, Florida.
