Marmion cools off Aurora Central Catholic
When you have two Aurora schools playing a regular-season baseball game in Elgin perhaps you should expect some strange things to happen.
Friday night's nonconference contest between rivals Aurora Central Catholic and Marmion often resembled a theater of absurdity with some of the unique occurrences that took place during the Cadets' 4-2 rain-shortened victory at Hoffer Field on the campus of Judson University.
After the Chargers (15-2) grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first on an RBI single off the bat of Ryan Poplawski, the Cadets (5-14) appeared to have tied the game in the second.
With 1 out, Brandon McPherson doubled to right-center and advanced to third when the ball was bobbled in the outfield.
After ACC senior southpaw Matt Rahn retired the next batter on a grounder to first baseman Poplawski, Colten Renier reached on a throwing error that allowed McPherson to come across with the tying run.
However, Chargers coach Sean Bieterman came out of the dugout to dispute the Cadets' lineup card that had Garrett Hiles penciled in at the 7th spot. Umpires ruled that Marmion batted out of order, taking the run off the scoreboard.
"When you put the lineup in the I-Pad, all you have to do is click a name and drag him to move him into the lineup," said Cadets coach Dave Rakow. "Somebody's thumb must have swiped it at some point before the game so the kids were going by what they saw on the computer screen.
"Obviously the umpire and the other coach have what is on paper - which is official."
In the third, the Chargers relied on a little deception to escape a first-and-second, 1-out jam.
Rahn faked a pickoff attempt to second while shortstop Chris Saltijeral ran toward center field and second baseman Johnny Belskis dove for the ball that was still in the left hand of the pitcher, who threw to third base to nail the runner for the second out.
The Chargers made it 2-0 in the third as Saltijeral singled, advanced to second on a walk and reached third on a passed ball before scoring on a wild pitch.
Marmion tied the game in the fourth by stringing 4 consecutive hits together.
McPherson (2-for-3) singled and scored on Chase Stanke's RBI triple to deep right-center before Renier drove in the Cadets' second run with a single to right.
Marmion added 2 more runs in the fifth.
Jon Young sliced a 1-out triple before scoring on a wild pitch to give the Cadets a 3-2 lead.
After a 2-out intentional walk to Edgar Sanchez put runners on first and third, Matthews provided a little insurance with an RBI single.
"The majority of the season, we've had a real hard time hitting," said Rakow. "On Wednesday against St. Francis, we put up 13 hits. Today, we put up 9 hits. I think some of these young guys are starting to figure it out."
Senior Jake Esp (1-5) went the distance for the Cadets, giving up 5 hits while striking out 6.
"I felt like I got stronger as the innings went along," said Esp. "I felt like the last inning was the best inning I pitched."
"Usually if Jake can get past the first inning or two, he settles down and he's OK," said Rakow. "He did a great job for us today."
The game ended with a scary collision at home plate in the top of the sixth after a failed suicide squeeze bunt. Chargers catcher Michael Bieterman suffered an apparent shoulder injury on the dangerous play.
"Our guy missed the bunt and the catcher was up the line a little ways," said Rakow. "There was a collision and by rule if you're not on the ground sliding then it's an ejection. I don't think there was any malicious intent."
Chargers coach Sean Bieterman saw things a little differently.
"The kids played hard," he said. "We made a couple mistakes but I'm not worried about wins and losses. I'm just worried about our kids playing the game the right way. Tonight, we learned that our kids play the game the right way.
"That's the most important thing to me."