Lyle/Pacelli baseball falls to ML/GHEC/Truman 13-9

After a three-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning provided an exciting 5-4 win over Spring Grove last Friday, the Lyle/Pacelli Athletics baseball team was looking for win number two in a row at Marcusen Park Monday versus the Jaguars of Martin Luther/Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman, but it was the Jaguars winning for the fifth time in their last six games 13-9 in the non-conference matchup.

The Jaguars utilized four straight walks to open the game to score four runs on a bases-loaded walk, a two-RBI double from first baseman Peyton Franzen and a RBI groundout to take a quick 4-0 lead.  Lyle/Pacelli answered with a single run in the bottom of the first when centerfielder Hunter VaDeer singled with two outs, went to second on a balk, advanced to third when third baseman Jake Truckenmiller struck out but reached on a wild pitch, and scored on another wild pitch uncorked by Jaguar starter Kaiden Mosser to cut the deficit to 4-1.

The Athletics then took what turned out to be their only lead of the game in the bottom of the second when they sent ten men to the plate and scored five runs to take a 6-4 lead when, with one out, rightfielder Blake Klingfus struck out but reached first on a passed ball, No. 9 hitter Jack Klingfus walked, Landon Meyer singled for a RBI and shortstop Mac Nelson then belted a two-RBI triple.  Nelson later scored on a wild pitch and Hunter VaDeer walked, stole second and third and scored when catcher Logyn Brooks bounced into a run-scoring fielder’s choice.

The Jaguars, though, came right back in the top of the third as they utilized four singles, two stolen bases and a walk to score three runs and regained the lead at 7-6.  Lyle/Pacelli came back to tie the game at seven in the bottom of the fourth when Mac Nelson and Hunter VaDeer led off with singles, and Nelson scored on a RBI groundout from Jake Truckenmiller.  The Jaguars, who were retired in order only once in the game got their offense going again in the top of the fifth and took the lead for good, as it turned out, with a one-out triple from centerfielder and later winning pitcher Jacob Moeller, who scored when Kaiden Musser reached on a two-out error on the Athletics.  The Jaguars tacked on two more unearned runs when shortstop and cleanup hitter Luke Kester follwed Musser with a single, and they both scored on the second two-RBI double of the game for Peyton Franzen to make the score 10-7.

Moeller, a left-handed pitcher, continued to slow the Athletics offense while the Jaguars tallied three more runs in the top of the seventh when Moeller led off with a single, his third hit of the game, leftfielder Carter Brudelie walked, Kaiden Musser singled to load the bases and after Luke Kester was caught looking on strikes for the first out, Peyton Franzen knocked in his fifth run of the game with a RBI single, catcher Matthew Steuber drew a bases-loaded walk to force in a run and Franzen later scored on a wild pitch to boost the Jaguar’s lead to 13-7.

Lyle/Pacelli tried to rally in the bottom of the seventh when, with one out, Trey Anderson was hit by a pitch, Blake Klingfus walked and both runners moved up on a ground out to short by Jack Klingfus.  Landon Meyer then laced a two-RBI single to center to cut the Jaguar lead to 13-9, but Mac Nelson was retired on a swinging strike three to end the game.

Meyer wound up going 2 for 4 for the Athletics in the game with the two singles, three RBI’s and a run scored, Nelson was 2 for 3 with the two-RBI triple, a single and two runs scored and Hunter VaDeer wound up going 2 for 2 officially with two singles, two walks and two runs scored for LP, who finished with nine runs on six hits, two errors and eight men left on base, while the Jaguars wound up with 13 runs on 14 hits, no errors and ten runners left on base.

With the loss, the Athletics are now 7-4 overall on the season, and they are right back into action today (Tuesday) versus Southland in a Southeast Conference matchup, with first pitch in Adams scheduled for 5:00 p.m.