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Baseball: Guerin takes rollercoaster ride
Updated: June 11, 2012 8:52AM
It was a bit of an up-and-down week for Guerin’s baseball team, as the Gators split four games.
They struggled in the two losses, but played solidly in the two wins. The highlight of the week was an 8-7 home win over St. Patrick on May 2.
Pitcher William Lopez had a great outing before tiring. He departed after 6 1/3 innings, striking out four while allowing seven hits and a pair of walks. The Gators led 8-3 heading into the seventh inning, but the Shamrocks made it interesting before Kevin Kross closed the door by getting the final two outs after allowing a hit. He induced a ground ball with runners on second and third to end the game.
“Lopez pitched really well until that last inning,” said Guerin head coach Dan Mustari. “He located the ball well, too. He had been asking me for two months to pitch that game, and we were hitting in this game, no doubt.”
Offense, which the Gators (10-17, 2-9) had been looking for all year, proved to be just enough against St. Pat’s. Kevin Kline went 2-for-4 with four RBI.
Guerin put up a four-spot by stringing hits together. Anthony Marra doubled home Tommy Kelly, who finished 3-for-3 with an RBI. Mike Marra drove in Anthony with a single, and Marra scored on an Andrew Rangel base hit. Mitchell Klich then singled home Rangel to finish off the rally.
“This was, obviously, a big win for us,” Mustari said. “The guys were really happy, and it’s just good for everybody on the team, and for the school.”
The week of action began with a spirited 3-2 win over Suburban Christian Conference rival Immaculate Conception on the road April 30. Klich hurled a seven-inning gem. He struck out four while scattering six hits and walking two.
“He pitched excellently,” Mustari said. “His breaking ball was great, and he was locating his pitches, and keeping (IC) off-balance. It was nice for him to come back and good for his confidence, too.”
Mike Marra hit a sacrifice fly to score Kline in the first inning. With the Knights ahead 2-1 in the fifth, Anthony Marra doubled home Line and Kelly to give the lead back to the Gators for keeps.
The Gators couldn’t keep the momentum going the following day, as the Knights visited River Grove and left with a rain-shortened 8-1 victory. Guerin’s momentum from the game against St. Pat’s didn’t last, as the Gators visited Marmion and lost 9-3 on May 3.
“We’re getting to that point where we need to get ready for regionals in another couple of weeks,” Mustari said. “Beating St. Pat’s gives us confidence. We wanted to see improvement as the year went on, and we lost some tough ones, but overall, we’re getting there. We’re young, but our pitching has been good all year. If we get some timely hitting, who knows what happens (in the playoffs).”
