The La Porte baseball team traveled to Chesterton Wednesday hoping to solidify their hold on second place in the DAC. Six errors, five walks and five unearned runs later the Slicers find themselves in a log jam at second with a 5-3 DAC record after falling to the Trojans 5-3.
Chesterton parlayed a two hits, one a fly ball lost in the high sky and a perfectly placed soft liner, two walks and two errors into a 2-0 advantage in the bottom of the first. Slicer starter Grant Olson kept the Trojans from a monster inning striking out the last three hitters, all looking, with the bases loaded.
LP committed two more errors in the second inning allowing Chesterton to score a single run making it 3-0 after two innings. Olson retired the first two hitters in the third inning before and walk and two singles loaded the bases. LP got out of the inning when Jake Pacilio grounded into a force out to end the inning. In the fourth, Olson again retired the first two hitter before a walk, an error and an RBI single made it 4-0. Brock Schultz came on in relief and picked up the final out of the inning.
The Trojans picked up another unearned run in the fifth. An error, sacrifice bunt and ground out put Rob Czarnacki on third. He scored on Braydon Barrett’s RBI double making it 5-0.
The Slicers made a run at the Trojans in the top of the seventh. Pinch hitter AJ Mrozinske was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Pinch hitter Thomas Hill struck out before Keli Hay, another pinch hitter, got an infield single. LP loaded the bases on an infield hit by Ryan Bruemmer. Ben Dubbs popped out to left for the second out. With the bases loaded and two outs Carter Moses hit a chopper that went through the second basemen allowing two runs to score. Kade Flores followed with a double to right center scoring Moses making it 5-3. Slicer RBI leader RJ Anglin stepped up with runners on second and third. Anglin smashed a line drive that was caught by leaping second basemen Greg Guernsey for the game’s final out.
Barrett went the distance holding LP scoreless for the first six innings. He struck out five, walked one, hit one batter, and allowed eight hits. The Trojans turned double plays in the first and second innings to cancel lead off singles by the Slicers. La Porte left the bases loaded in the third.
Olson took the loss, allowing four runs, none earned and five hits. He struck out three and walked five. Schultz gave up an unearned run and two hits in 2 1/3 innings. Dubbs was named the Salisbury and Spence Player of the Game. He was 2-4 with a double and single and made some nice defensive plays battling the sun in right field.
None of the game’s eight runs were earned. Both infields battled tough hops throughout the game. The Slicers, now 10-6 on year, will host a state-rated New Prairie Friday night at Schreiber Field. First pitch 7:00. Pregame on WCOE 96.7 the Eagle will be at 6:45.
