MSJ Baseball Sweeps Lakeland Behind Outstanding Starting Pitching

AUBURNDALE, Florida - The Mount St. Joseph baseball team moved to 9-4 on the season and 5-1 during the spring break trip with a sweep over Lakeland. They did so behind outstanding starting pitching and timely hitting.

GAME ONE | MSJ 5 - Lakeland 1 | WP: A. Post (2-2) , LP: Krause

In game one of the day Coach Jeff Newman sent Aidan Post to the hill to begin the game. The Lions senior was outstanding in the game going the front 5.0 innings, allowing only a pair of hits and not surrendering a single run while striking out five in the win. 

Offensively the Lions got off to a quick start scoring a run in the top of the first inning. Anton Mere led off with a single to center, advancing to second on a groundout. Carter Owen drove in the first run of the game driving in Mere from second on a single to right field. 

The Lions did the rest of their scoring in a four run fourth inning. Jackson Gutzwiller led off with a single to left field, Matt Brankamp followed with a single of his own. After Max Kline reached on an error, Kevin Schaaf hit a bases clearing double down the left field line. An out later Schaaf was driven home on a sacrifice fly by Jake Lawson.

In the sixth inning Post gave way to Brendan Hosler who pitched the final two innings, allowing three hits and a single earned run while striking out a pair. 

GAME TWO | MSJ 11 - Lakeland 2 | WP: D. Richter (2-0) , LP: Pecore (0-1)

Sophomore Derek Richter was tabbed to start game two of the double header, he was fantastic in his first start of the season. He pitched 6.0 innings allowing 6 hits and two hits while striking out three in the win.

After a quick top of the first the Lions offense exploded in the bottom of the second inning. Gutzwiller reached on an error with one out, Brankamp followed with a walk. Andrew Harrison then got the Lions on the board crushing a two-run double to left field. Schaaf then drew a walk, and Mere hit an RBI single through the right side.

They would add one run in the bottom of the fourth. Brankamp was hit by a pitch to open the inning and quickly stole second base advancing to third on an error. Schaaf then drove him in with a sacrfice fly into center. 

They added five more in the bottom of the fifth inning. Ryan Murray led off with a double, Owen then singled on a bunt. Murray scored and Owen advanced to second on an error fielding Owen's bunt. After Owen advanced to third on a wild pitch, Patrick Murray lifted a sac fly into left field. Jordan Harley then pinch-hit for Gutzwiller and notched the first hit of his MSJ career. Harley then stole second base, Harley advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a throwing error by the catcher. All told the Lions scored five in the inning, with Jake Sanders also getting a hit in a pinch-hit appearance. 

Ahead 9-0 coach Newman used the opportunity to get some playing time for younger players on his roster. Joining Sanders and Harley were Nick Shields, Luke Legault and Tyler Herbers who came on as defensive replacements.

In the top of the seventh inning Richter handed the pitching duties off to Ryan Caulfield. Caulfield worked around a hit in and a walk, getting all three outs by way of the strikeout in his one inning of work.

UP NEXT: 

The Lions have one final game on their annual spring break trip. The will square off with Knox College tomorrow at 9:15 am, before loading up and heading back home to Cincinnati.