CRESTWOOD, Ill. – John Swisher's one-hit mound magistry in the opener and a nine-run deficit cut to two during a huge comeback in the nightcap told the story of the Roosevelt baseball team's doubleheader split against Cardinal Stritch on Monday.
The Lakers (14-21, 12-15 CCAC), who took the first game by a final of 8-0 before falling 10-8 in the finale, must now win one of their two home games on Tuesday afternoon against St. Francis in order to clinch Roosevelt's first-ever berth to the CCAC Baseball Tournament.
Monday marked the first games of the season at the renovated Standard Bank Stadium, which now features a FieldTurf surface, and the Lakers wasted little time making themselves feel at home again.
Swisher mowed down the Wolves (18-21, 13-16 CCAC). The junior southpaw allowed just a first-inning infield single and a sixth-inning walk in going the distance for his second shutout of the year.
The Lakers scored a run in each of the first three innings before blowing the game open with a five-run fourth.
Roosevelt took an early lead in the second game on AJ Neufeld's first-inning RBI double, but the Wolves scored 10 times in the fourth to take a huge lead.
The Lakers chipped away, as the offense produced a run in the bottom of the fourth, four in the fifth and two in the seventh to get within a pair of runs.
Travis Siwiec turned in nearly six innings of superb scoreless two-hit relief to keep the Lakers in striking distance of a reasonable rally, but Stritch starter Kevin Murphy shook off any further threat of a Green and White comeback and sat down the Lakers in order during the eighth and ninth innings.
Freshman third baseman Alvin Perez drove in seven runs during the two contests.
The Lakers will seek to secure their first postseason berth since the team's revival in 2010-11 against St. Francis, with first pitch for the first game versus the Fighting Saints slated for 3 p.m. In between Tuesday's two games, Roosevelt will pause to celebrate Senior Day and honor the quartet of Neufeld, Ruben Lomeli, Ismael De La Cruz and Danny Grzywa.
John Swisher (from left), Alvin Perez and Travis Siwiec shined against Stritch.
