Lutheran West’s hot start continued with a 12-2 five-inning win over visiting Cuyahoga Heights on Monday.
With the win, the Longhorns improved to 4-0 on the year.
“Our guys had to battle a lot of different conditions; we saw rain, snow, sleet, high winds, the elements were tough, but I’m just really impressed with the level of grit that we showed,” said Lutheran West coach Thomas Balla. “Hats off to both teams for playing in that. We’re trying our best right now just to get games in, given the forecast of the week. I was really impressed with our group and finding ways to battle at the plate and make plays in the field. It was really quite challenging.”
Cuyahoga Heights struck first with one run off Lutheran West starter Steven Alferink.
Kyle Porter hit a one-out double and scored on Nathan Tommer’s RBI single.
The Longhorns answered with two runs in the bottom of the second.
Jacob Montagu singled to start the rally, and A.J. Biascochea walked. Jansen Gross walked with one out, loading the bases, and Derek Petrigac singled home two runners.
Lutheran West added three more runs in the bottom of the third.
Alferink singled, and Montagu walked, setting up Biascochea’s RBI single. Keniel Leaguer then walked, and Gross reached on a run-scoring error. Petrigac’s groundout led to another run and a 5-1 Lutheran West lead.
The Longhorns exploded for seven runs in the fourth.
Biascochea and Petrigac hit RBI singles, and Brandon Schneider knocked in three runs with his single.
Cuyahoga Heights added a run in the top of the fifth when Nick Dabrowski reached on an error and later scored on another error.
The Longhorns scored their 12 runs on just nine hits.
“That was a combination of patient at-bats and taking some free bases when they gave them to us, along with some timely hits,” Balla said. “Steve Alferink, our three-hole hitter, hit three balls really, really solidly, and he stole a couple of bases. A.J. Biascochea, our five-hole hitter, had two really nice base hits and drove in a couple of runs, and then we got a lot of production out of our eight-hole hitter, Derek Petrigac, who had two base hits, including four RBI. It’s good to get that production throughout your lineup.”
Alferink finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Petrigac was 2-for-3 with a run scored and four RBI. Biascochea finished 2-for-2 with three runs scored and two RBI. Schneider and Montagu collected one hit.
“I like our approach right now,” Balla said. “We’re being patient. We’re taking what the pitcher gives us, and then some timely hits help break it open a little bit.”
Alferink started on the mound for Lutheran West but was relieved by Montagu after the first inning.
Montagu allowed one earned run on one hit and fanned one in four innings of work on his way to earning the pitching victory. Alferink allowed one earned run on two hits in one inning.
“Alferink had some shoulder issues, so we brought Montagu in in the second, and he pitched the next four innings,” Balla said. “He was a bulldog. I was really impressed with his ability to get warm quickly on a cold night, and he gave us four really solid innings.”
Porter, Tommer, and Vince Snyder had hits for Cuyahoga Heights. Macgowan Rott took the pitching loss after allowing four earned runs on four hits with four strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings. Jake Laski allowed two earned runs on five hits and struck out one in 1 1/3 innings of work.
Lutheran West is scheduled to travel to Cuyahoga Heights on Tuesday.
