(New Buffalo, MI) - Two hard-hit singles to start the game by Our Lady of the Lake proved to be an indication of the drubbing New Buffalo was about to take in the high school baseball post season opener on Tuesday.
The Lakers won 11-1 in the District 4 tournament hosted this year in New Buffalo.
The first two batters for the Lakers, Owen McLaughlin and Matt Lage, led off the first inning with crisp line drive singles to left field off starting pitcher Gio Sanchez-Perez. McLaughlin trying to score from third base got caught in a pickle but crossed the plate on a throwing error.
Lage trying to take third base on the overthrown slid safely underneath the tag and scored when the next hitter laid down a sacrifice bunt.
The next batter struck a screaming line drive caught by third baseman Nicholas Wolfe but Sanchez-Perez began struggling with his control. He hit a batter who scored following a single, a walk then a wild pitch.
The Bison pulled to within 3-1 in the bottom of the first inning after Vaugh Nikkel reached base on a walk and scored on a deep sacrifice fly ball to right field by Ethan Lijewski.
Our Lady of the Lake scored again in the second inning on a bloop single followed by a fielding error by Lijewski at shortshop. The Bison ended the inning when Sam Wendel-Suppa after catching a deep fly ball to centerfield made a strong throw to second base to nail the runner trying to get back to the bag.
Two more runners crossed the plate for the Lakers in the 4th inning after a hit batsman and two more line drive smash singles to left field.
The Bison threatened to score again with one out in the bottom of the fourth inning after Wolfe reached base on a throwing error to first base by the shortstop and an infield single by Wendel-Suppa.
The next two batters, though, flew out to center field and struck out.
Lijewski pitching in relief gave up no runs in the 5th inning. Wendel-Suppa pitching for the Bison in the 6th inning hit a batter who scored on a fielder’s choice. Another batter reached base on a fielding error and scored on a triple.
Three more runners scored for the Lakers in the final inning after the first two batters drew walks and scored on a double to the left center field gap by Lage who crossed the plate on a single to left field.
Lage, the ace of the Lakers pitching staff, recorded nine strikeouts while giving up just three walks.
The Bison, who won four of their first six games of the regular season, finished with a record of 8-10-1.
