Schoolcraft Splits a Pair of Close Games

DETROIT, Mich- Schoolcraft College baseball took on St. Clair County Community College on Thursday (April 20) in a divisional doubleheader. The Skippers came into the double header sitting at 4-9 in the division, good for fifth overall. 

Game 1: Game 1 saw very little offense which, led to a pitching duel. Jack Zang got the start for the Ocelots as his final line read, 5 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 8 K. The lone run the Skippers scored off of Zang would be an unearned run in the third inning. The Schoolcraft offense would follow that run up with a run of their own when Nate Saavedra doubled to the left field corner to score Andrew Thorning (single). That was it for the offense until the top of the eighth when St. Clair would again, score an unearned run, to take the lead in extras. Schoolcraft would get a leadoff walk by Landon Kempainen to start the inning but, that would be all they could get as Schoolcraft would fall in extras by a score of 2-1. Sawyer Pace (1-3), Thorning (2-4), Saavedra (1-4), and John Sowards (1-3) would be the Ocelots who would tack on a hit in the ballgame.

Game 2: Game 2 saw a similar outcome to game 1, not a lot of offense. Schoolcraft came out hot in game 2, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first for a quick, 2-0 lead. Schoolcraft scored by way of a Saavedra single, scoring Pace (walk) and a Bryan Tuttle single to score Kempainen (fielder's choice). The Ocelots would score once again in the bottom of the third as Saavedra singled to bring home Kempainen (triple). St. Clair would tie things up in the top of the fourth by way of a 3-run, inside the park home run. Schoolcraft would score the game winning run in the bottom of the fifth on a wild pitch that would score Pace (HBP). Luke Stevenson would come out of the bullpen to get the save, he logged 1 strikeout in the inning. The starter for Schoolcraft was Gabe Smith. His line read, 6 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 7 K. The offensive leaders for Schoolcraft were, Pace (1-2, 2R), Kempainen (1-2, 2 R), Saavedra (2-3, 2 RBI), Tuttle (2-3, 1 RBI), Mason Malysz (1-3), and Ryan Koch (1-1). 

Schoolcraft travels to St. Clair on Saturday (April 22) to wrap up the season series. The series currently stands at 2-1 in favor of the Ocelots. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 1:00 PM. Follow along here, schoolcraftocelots.com, for live stats.