Playing the first tripleheader in program history on Wednesday afternoon, Lourdes managed to win the final game after dropping the first two to Cornerstone at De Witt Field in Grand Rapids, Mich. The Golden Eagles won the first two by scores of 2-0 and 7-2 before the Gray Wolves took the finale 2-1.
"We competed well overall today playing in our first ever tripleheader," head coach
Jeremy Snow said afterwards. "I'm proud that the pitching staff limited the free base runners today and that gave us a chance to win. We have been a strong offensive team all year and we didn't have it today."
In game one, Kyle Herrick won the pitcher's duel against
Matt York (Oregon, Ohio/Clay H.S.) as both hurlers tossed complete games. Herrick surrendered just three hits while striking out four in the win (4-4) while York allowed two solo home runs, one to Jarod Burton and another to Brady Eeles in the second and third innings, and the was the extent of the offense in the game. York yielded five total hits while striking out three in the loss (2-2).
Cornerstone jumped in front quickly in game two, scoring three times in the opening inning before adding a single run in the third. Lourdes finally broke through in the fourth as
George Pastor (Walled Lake, Mich./Central H.S.) doubled with two outs and scored one batter later on a single by
Glen Crabtree (Median, Ohio/Black River H.S.).
The Golden Eagles answered with three runs in the bottom of the fourth on Burton's second round-tripper of the game.
Dallas Riggs (Prescott, Ariz./Bradshaw Mountain H.S.) homered for Lourdes in the top of the fifth, but that was the final run the Gray Wolves would score in the game.
Collin Young earned the win (6-4) in relief, allowing both runs and four hits in two innings, taking over for Herrick, who also started game two with a perfect three innings.
Ryan Kroll (Brownstown, Mich./Carlson H.S.) suffered the loss (1-3), allowing all seven runs and 13 hits in five innings of work.
Crabtree had the only multi-hit effort for Lourdes in game two as the Gray Wolves finished with six hits.
Lourdes took the lead in the second inning of game three as
Cameron Gallo (Mason, Ohio/Bishop Fenwick H.S.) tallied the first of three straight singles to load the bases. A wild pitch allowed the sophomore to score from third with the game's first run.
Devin Stanley (Euclid, Ohio/Saint Edward H.S.) added to the lead in the third, tripling to open the inning before scoring one batter later on
Colin Gottschalk's (Walled Lake, Mich./Central H.S.) sacrifice fly.
Braxton McKart (Monroe, Mich./Monroe H.S.), who earned the win (2-0), allowed just four hits in 5.1 innings of work, as Lourdes took the 2-0 lead into the seventh. Cornerstone (18-19, 9-15 WHAC) loaded the bases with one out in the final inning after scoring a run, but
Adam Hoyos (Oro Valley, Ariz./Canyon Del Oro H.S.) came on to earn the save, his second of the year.
Gallo had two of Lourdes' six hits in game two, five of which came off starter Nick Hill, who suffered the loss (1-1), working just 2.2 innings.
Lourdes (15-16, 6-12) will return to the diamond on Thursday afternoon as the Gray Wolves travel to Ann Arbor, Mich. to battle Concordia (Mich.). The series, which had been scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, has been moved up to a single game on Thursday beginning at 3:30 p.m. and a doubleheader on Friday beginning at 1 p.m. due to the threat of inclement weather over the weekend at Cardinal Field.
