Lake Wales, Florida – Siena Heights Baseball returned to Spring Trip action Thursday, March 10th, on the first day of the Warner Tournament. The Saints competed in a doubleheader first against the Bellevue Bruins, which ended with a score of 11-2 in favor of the opponent, and rounded out the day playing the Calumet Crimson Wave, which ended with a 5-2 defeat.
Game 1: Siena Heights 2, Bellevue 11 – 7 innings
Parker Mabe led the Saints, batting .333 against the Bruins. Mabe scored once for the blue and yellow in the top of the second inning, thanks to a single from Haydn Smith. Cody Henderson held the second scoring run for Siena, which also came in the second inning, thanks in part to a throwing error by Bellevue. Parker Swartz (L, 0-3) started the game for the Saints, pitching four innings and saw 27 batters. Swartz only allowed nine hits. Relief pitcher Andy Stoll saw action in two innings facing six batters while holding the Bruin bats to just one hit.
After getting back into the groove during the first inning, the blue and yellow came out ready to go in the second. Both Mabe and Henderson were able to get on base, allowing Smith to hit a single out to center field. Henderson advanced to second base while Mabe was able to run home for the game's first score. Next up was Cole VanWasshenova, who hit a single towards second base. However, a defensive error by the Bruins allowed Henderson to cross home plate for the second run in the inning for Siena Heights.
Bellevue captured the lead in the bottom half of the 2nd-inning with three runs. Unfortunately, the Bellevue Bruins struck out three straight batters for the blue and yellow to bring the one-run lead into the bottom of the third inning. The Bruins scored five runs, furthering the lead over Siena to 8-2. Both the fourth and the fifth innings would see more runs from Bellevue. Andy Stoll relieved Parker Swartz in the bottom of the fifth after a scoring run from Bellevue's Brenton Davis. The Saints fought defensively to see three-up-three-down in the bottom of the sixth and held off any further runs, ending the game 11-2 in favor of the opposing Bellevue Bruins.
Game 2: Siena Heights 2, Calumet 5 – 7 innings
Smith led Siena offensively, batting .500 while bringing in one run. Collin Bammer scored the Saint's second run while seeing two at-bats. Pitcher Christian Jabiro (L, 0-2) saw play in two innings facing 15 batters, striking out one and holding the Crimson Wave to only three hits. Ryan Sullivan relieved Jabiro and pitched four innings facing off against 19 batters, striking out three while surrendering three hits.
SHU held the Crimson Wave scoreless through the first two innings. The first scoring run came from the Calumet Crimson Wave, who would score twice in the third and fourth innings to snag a 4-0 advantage. The final run for the opposition crossed the plate in the fifth inning as the margin was pushed to five. The bottom of the fifth saw action from the Saints as Bammer earned a base on balls. Smith hit an infield single before advancing on a throwing error, and SHU had runners on second and third. A wild pitch moved Smith to third while Bammer scored to put Siena Heights on the board. VanWasshenova walked and was followed by Adam Wilding, thanks to a defensive error. Now with bases loaded, Cameron Hammer grounded out to short but recorded an RBI as Smith made it home safely for the game's second run. The SHU defense was able to hold off any more scoring attempts to leave the ending score 5-2.
Up Next
SHU baseball continues in the Warner Tournament facing St. Francis and St. Thomas in a doubleheader on Friday, March 11th at 9:00 AM and 1:00 PM.
