Facing possibly the most challenging week of baseball they will play this year, the Muskies were unable to overcome their own mistakes against Aurora, dropping both games of their doubleheader against them today. The Muskies are now 11-8 overall and 2-4 in conference.
In the first game, the Muskies had four errors that Aurora would ultimately make the Muskies pay for. Derek Loomans started the first game and had a solid performance that would be marred by the errors. Loomans pitched 4 1/3 innings allowing nine runs, only three of which were earned, on ten hits.
Tim Green would come in to finish the game, pitching 2 2/3 innings, allowing five runs on six hits.
The Muskie offense looked uncomfortable at the plate all day, and was only able to muster four hits and getting shut out. Aurora pitcher Drew Gay also had 10 SO.
Garrett Morris would start the second game and struggle against the Aurora offense, giving up seven runs in five innings on eight hits.
Trent Schwalbach would come in for relief but didn’t fare any better than Morris. Schwalbach pitched 1 1/3 innings, giving up five runs on three hits.
Relievers Matt Weller, Ryan Krzyzkowski, and Cody Manders would piece together the rest of the game with Manders being the only one to allow a run.
The only life the Muskie offense showed all day came in the fourth inning of this game when they were able to string together a few hits and put up three runs. At the time, these runs brought the Muskies within striking distance of Aurora, but that was all the offense the Muskies would be able to produce for the day.
Other than the three hits acquired in that inning by Frank Pietrantonio, Nate Soley, and Jess Nickel, the Muskies would not have any other hits.
Head Coach Bachar hopes that facing such strong pitching will prepare them for the rest of conference play.
“This is the best pitching we’ve faced this year, and hopefully it will prepare us for Concordia on Monday,” he said.
Lakeland looks to turn things around Monday, April 9 when they continue play against Concordia Chicago in a doubleheader scheduled to start at 1 p.m.