Complete PDF Notes
Upcoming in Gray Wolves Baseball: Lourdes opens up Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference play on Saturday afternoon, as the Gray Wolves entertain Aquinas for a doubleheader at Mercy Field.  Lourdes will then take to the road for nine of its next 11 beginning on Sunday with a twinbill at Wright-State Lake.

Head Coach Josh Bradford: In his second season in the Lourdes dugout, Josh Bradford has a 14-14 (.500) record at the helm of the Gray Wolves, as well as in his career as a collegiate head coach.  He is the third head coach in Lourdes program's history.

Probable Starters: Kolby Rogge (RHP, 1-1, 4.58) is scheduled to take the mound for the Gray Wolves in the opener of Saturday's doubleheader against Aquinas.  Braxton McKart (RHP, 0-0, 2.38) is the probably starter fro game two of the twinbill with the Saints.  Lourdes has not determined its starting pitchers for Sunday's games at Wright State-Lake at this time.

Series Notes: Aquinas holds a 17-7 all-time advantage against Lourdes in a series that began April 21, 2012.  The Saints swept a twinbill from the Gray Wolves 6-4 and 8-2 in Grand Rapids, Mich. during the 2019 season, the last time the two schools met.  Aquinas holds a slight 6-4 series edge in games played at Mercy Field.  Lourdes and Wright State-Lake will be meeting on the diamond for the first time ever on Sunday.

Wrapping Up Last Week: Lourdes dropped three of four to Indiana-South Bend last Friday and Saturday.  The Gray Wolves won the opener at home 15-4 before a late rally came up short in an 8-6 loss.  On Saturday, Lourdes fell twice on the road, suffering 7-0 and 15-6 setbacks to the Titans.  The Gray Wolves returned home on Sunday to sweep Cincinnati-Clermont in a doubleheader.  Lourdes won the opener 4-3 in eight innings on a walk-off balk before taking the nightcap 8-3.  The Gray Wolves fell on Tuesday 13-4 at home to Thomas More in the final tune-up before WHAC play begins.

Scouting Aquinas: The Saints enter the week having split a doubleheader with Saint Ambrose on Sunday, losing game one 5-4 before winning the nightcap 9-4.  Aquinas plays at Cleary in non-conference action on Thursday before visiting Lourdes.  Nathan Hughes leads the Saints batting .414 with four home runs and 12 runs batted in while Alec Lockwood is swinging at a .387 clip.  As a team the Saints are hitting .278.  The Aquinas pitching staff sports a 3.59 earned run average with opponents batting .242 against them.

Scouting Wright State-Lake: The Lakers split a doubleheader with Cincinnati-Clermont last Saturday, winning the opener 6-3 before falling 10-0 in game two.  Layne Riley leads Wright State-Lake offensively with a .421 average while Conor Schmitt is hitting .308.  The Lakers are batting .231 as a team.  The Wright State-Lake pitching staff sports a 5.62 earned run average with opponents batting .24 against them. Wright State-Lake visits Northwestern Ohio on Wednesday and hosts Kent State-Tuscarawas on Saturday before hosting Lourdes.

Lourdes in WHAC Openers: Lourdes is 1-7 all-time in Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference openers since the program began in 2012.  The Gray Wolves dropped the 2019 conference opener 10-0 to Cornerstone at home before the 2020 league slate was cancelled due to COVID-19.  The lone season-opening win came in the 2018 campaign, a 13-3 triumph over Michigan-Dearborn.

Going Deep: Noah Childress and Jay Denman both have four home runs on the season for the Gray Wolves.  Childress now has five career round-trippers while Denman has left the yard 13 times in his five years at Lourdes.

Swinging a Hot Stick: Noah Childress and Gabe Scott are both batting .400 or better this season for the Gray Wolves.  Childress is a .467 (21-for-45) hitter on the year with seven extra base hits.  He has also drawn eight walks for a .576 on base percentage.  Scott is batting .400 (18-for-45) with five doubles.  He has drawn 10 base on balls for a .509 on base percentage.

Hitting Streaks: Jay Denman enters the week having hit safely in 12 consecutive games.  Denman is batting .320 on the year.  The Gray Wolf senior has also reached base safely in all 14 contests in 2021.

McKart Strong on the Hill: Braxton McKart does not have a decision in four appearances this season but has picked up a save.  He sports a 2.38 earned run average in 11.1 innings of work and has struck out 13 hitters while walking just two.  Opponents are batting just .233 against him.

Rogge Solid in Starts: Kolby Rogge has earned a pair of wins in four starts already this year, including a complete game victory over Point Park.  He has logged a team-leading 17.2 innings this year, fanning 16 while registering a 4.58 earned run average.

Gray Wolves Tabbed Seventh in WHAC Preseason Poll: Lourdes was picked to finish seventh in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference in the 2021 preseason poll conducted of the league's head coaches.  The Gray Wolves were slotted just behind Aquinas and just ahead of Michigan-Dearborn.  Indiana Tech was picked as the preseason favorite.

This and That: Lourdes has won three straight extra inning games dating back to 2019 and is 14-13 all-time when playing beyond regulation ... Gabe Scott and Bryce Gargus both have four-hit games this season ... Gray Wolves have been hit by 20 pitches in 14 games.