Pewaukee, Wis. - The Roosevelt baseball took the opening game of its doubleheader at Cardinal Stritch on Saturday, 7-6, but fell short in its bid for a fourth straight victory with a 3-1 setback in the series finale at WCTC Field.
The twin-bill split gave the Lakers (9-27, 8-16) their second CCAC North Division series win this year and moved the team into a three-way tie for third place in the standings. The nine wins this season matches Roosevelt's win total from all of last year.
In game one Roosevelt lit up the scoreboard for seven runs in the top of the first inning and then held on for a 7-6 triumph. Freshman pitcher
Chris Jennings (2-5) collected his second win of the year, while sophomore
T.J. Davis pitched 2.1, no-hit innings of relief for his first save.
Every Lakers starter had at least one hit in the game with freshman
Joe Lyons going 2-for-2 at the plate while seniors
Tim Storrs and
Tony Valdes each record a pair of RBI.
Roosevelt did all of its damage to the Wolves (16-28, 8-16) in its first at-bat, chasing starting pitcher Nate Friday before he recorded an out. Valdes started the offensive surge with a bases-loaded single that drove home two runs. Two batters later Storrs doubled home a pair. Lyons, senior
Joey Malia and freshman
Danny Grzywa all followed with RBI singles to stake the Lakers to a 7-0 advantage.
Those would be the only runs Roosevelt would score and Cardinal Stritch chipped away with a tally in the first and two more in the third before a three-run fifth, highlighted by a two-run homer off the bat of Kasey Lewandowski, cut the Lakers advantage to 7-6.
Davis entered to pitch for Roosevelt and snuffed out and further Wolves comeback hopes, allowing just a single walk over the final 2.1 innings.
Game two was controlled by Cardinal Stritch freshman pitcher Ryan DeRosa as he allowed just one run on six hits as the Wolves edged the Lakers, 3-1.
Roosevelt starter
Ryan O'Connor was just as impressive, but came up on the short end of the decision. The lefty, who dropped to 0-2 on the year, did not allow an earned run and gave up just four hits in 5.2 innings. All three of the Wolves' runs were unearned as Roosevelt made four errors in the contest.
Two Lakers miscues extended the second inning for Cardinal Stritch and senior Phil Cook made Roosevelt pay with a two-out, two-run double. The Lakers answered with a run in the third inning on an RBI single by
Steve Schwartz to make it a 2-1 game. The Wolves added an insurance run in the sixth and then held on for the 3-1 victory.
Storrs and senior
Nick Calhoun both had two hits for Roosevelt in a losing effort.
The Lakers will return to action on Wednesday, April 25, hosting Calumet-St. Joseph in a doubleheader at Standard Bank Stadium at 1:00 p.m.
