The Aquinas baseball team was able to travel to Howell, Michigan to play two home games against Cleary after the fields in Grand Rapids became unavailable on Saturday (Apr. 23). The Saints were unable to figure out the Cougars pitching staff, dropping both games by the scores of 5-2 and 7-2. AQ now has a record of 17-29 (4-12 WHAC) on the season, while Cleary improves to 20-22 (8-12 WHAC) on the year.
GAME 1: Cleary 5, Aquinas 2
The first runs of the game were scored by Cleary in the third inning on an RBI triple and an RBI single. The deficit was cut in half to make the score 2-1 in the bottom of the inning as
Braden Nawrocki doubled to left field to bring in
Nathan Hughes.
The Cougars got the run back in the fourth inning to re-take the two run advantage.
Conor Gausselin (4-4) took the loss after pitching five innings and allowing three runs on six hits and a walk with two strikeouts.
Nathan Myers was the first out of the bullpen in the sixth inning, but CU was able to score another two runs on two hits and two walks. The Saints tried to make a comeback in the bottom of the inning as they were able to load the bases, but only one run was scored by
Nathan Wilcox on an error by Cleary.
The duo of
Riki Yokoyama and
Grant Martin combined to pitch the final inning with Yokoyama getting a flyout and Martin striking out a pair.
Nawrocki finished with a pair of hits and an RBI as
Ryan Gillings collected a hit and a walk, while
JD Gillies got on base twice on two walks.
GAME 2: Cleary 7, Aquinas 2
The Cougars were able to score the first three runs of the ballgame with one coming in the first inning on an RBI single and another two crossing the plate in the fourth on another hit. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Nawrocki took it upon himself to score a run after singling to begin the inning, advancing to second on a wild pitch, then moving up to third and scoring on a passed ball plus an error on the catcher.
After Aquinas made an error in the fifth inning, Cleary took advantage to take back the three run lead on a double to right field. Starting in game two was
Mason Hill (0-6) as he was hit with the loss after giving up four runs (three earned) on five hits, two walks, and four hit by pitches with seven strikeouts.
The Saints scored their second run in the fifth inning as Wilcox doubled to center field to open the inning and then
Chris Suriel Garcia switched places with him on a double of his own to left field.
Garrett Cheslek came in and threw the next three and a third innings, allowing three runs in the seventh and ninth innings on four hits with two strikeouts.
Owen Graves got the final two outs in the ninth on a double play.
Nawrocki added another three hits in game two for a total of five in the doubleheader with Garcia collecting three hits and an RBI as well.
Aquinas returns to Grand Rapids, Michigan with another WHAC doubleheader against Rochester on Sunday (Apr. 24) at Cornerstone with first pitch scheduled for 11:00 AM.
