Baseball Earns Crucial Split at Lourdes

(Toledo, OH)-- The Cleary Cougars need every win they can as they fight to keep their WHAC Tournament hopes alive, and they added another to the win column with a crucial split at Mercy Field in Toledo Saturday afternoon.

In Game 1:  Cleary would get on the scoreboard first with a pair of runs in the 2nd inning.  Sam Browne would score the game's first run after Spencer Jamieson laid down a sacrifice bunt and reached on an error.  The next batter, Marcel Garcia, singled home Albert Gonzalez to give the Cougars a 2-0 lead.  After Lourdes scored in the 3rd, Sam Brown brought Ben Cerven home on a sacrifice fly to make it 3-1.  Unfortunately for the Cougars, Lourdes would hit three home runs in the next three innings to take a 10-3 lead, and the ballgame.

Haden Fisk suffered the loss on the mound, allowing 8 runs on 10 hits in 5 innings.  Cleary had five players earn one hit apiece: Kristian Scalf, Ben Cerven, Sam Browne, Albert Gonzalez, and Marcel Garcia.

In Game 2:  After Ben Cerven drew a one out walk, Sam Browne doubled to left to advance Cerven to third base.  A Billy Flohr sacrifice fly scored Cerven, and gave the Cougars a 1-0 lead.  Lourdes would score in the 5th to tie the game, and neither team would be able to crack through until Cleary scored the go-ahead run in the 9th.  Andrew Piloske drew a pinch-hit hit by pitch to lead off the inning, and Zach Agemak would re-enter the game as the baserunner.  Kristian Scalf advanced Agemak on a sacrifice bunt, and Ben Cerven advanced Agemak to third when he reached on an error to bring up Sam Browne.  Browne would hit a fly ball deep enough to score Agemak, and gave the Cougars a 2-1 lead.  Colin Brazil entered the game, faced four batters, and picked up his 6th save of the game.

Lucas Withers continued to throw well, but threw a no-decision, as he allowed 1 run on 4 hits while striking out 5 over 7 innings of work.  Noah Bowles picked up his second straight victory in relief before Brazil finished the game.  Ben Cerven, Sam Browne, and Spencer Jamieson each had 2 hits for the Cougars to lead the offense.  

Cleary is now 26-17, 15-10 in the WHAC.  The Cougars will take on Lourdes again on Sunday, April 23, when they wrap up their weekend series with another double-header.  First pitch of game one is set for 1:00 PM.

Game Notes:
Ben Cerven extended his hit streak to 9 games, and has earned hits in 17 of his last 19 games.  His 39 RBI ranks 3rd all-time in Cleary history.  He sits in the top-10 in stolen bases, total hits, and batting average in Cleary's history.
Lucas Withers lowered his season ERA to 2.68 in Saturday's no-decision.  He holds a 2-0 record with a 2.08 ERA in 4 WHAC starts.