Baseball: Triple play sparks Fremd past St. Charles East
Triple plays are one of baseball's rarities.
Fremd's Eric Bennes is a big fan of them - at least when he's not batting.
Bennes, a senior right-handed starting pitcher, capped his 4-inning outing by beginning a momentum-turning triple play in the bottom of the fourth against St. Charles East Wednesday afternoon in St. Charles.
The Vikings (2-3) then seized control with a 6-run fifth on their way to a 7-0 nonconference victory over the Saints.
With the game scoreless into the fourth, St. Charles East (3-2) began the inning with back-to-back singles by Niko Klebosits and John Carroll.
On the next pitch, Bennes rushed off the mound to catch a popped bunt and threw to second to catch the Saints' runner stranding too far from the base for a double play.
As senior shortstop Tom Josten jogged toward the mound, the Saints' baserunner at first attempted to catch the Vikings off guard but was thrown out trying to advance to second - completing the odd triple play.
"That was awesome," said Bennes, who allowed 3 hits with a walk and a strikeout while raising his record to 2-1. "I've never had a triple play like that. I've hit into a triple play before. It was a good thing just to get out of the inning with fewer pitches."
Fremd wasted little time jumping on the Saints in the fifth.
Luke Seidel, who went 3 for 5 with a stolen base, advanced to second on a balk. After a fouled bunt attempt with 2 strikes turned into a strikeout, the Saints ordered an intentional walk to Louisville-bound Josten (2 for 3, 2 doubles).
The runners advanced to second and third on a wild pitch before Bennes helped his own cause by lashing a 2-run single to right, giving the Vikings a 2-0 lead.
"It's good to get some hacks in especially since I didn't get many last year," said Bennes. "I'm excited to get out there and help the team any way I can."
Jordan Albano added an RBI single and Tom Wingen followed with a run-producing double before Josh Kraus (2 for 4) and Seidel capped the uprising with RBI singles - all part of the Vikings' 11-hit attack.
"I thought we had good at-bats the whole game," said Fremd coach Chris Piggott. "We had a couple chances early that we didn't capitalize on but we had quality at-bats which is what we've been preaching."
Junior southpaw Will Stelk tossed 3 innings of 1-hit relief for the Vikings.
"Both of our guys came in and threw strikes," said Piggott. "Eric (Bennes) pitched great for us last year and he has started up right where he left off from last year. We have a chance to win whenever he's on the mound."
Junior John Dellostritto finished 2-for-2 for the Saints, who managed just 4 hits.
"We didn't execute offensively very well today," said Saints coach Len Asquini. "We were just trying to get something done in a zero-zero game (in the fourth) but we didn't execute."
Junior reliever Jack Jordan (0-1) suffered the loss for the Saints, who received another solid start from senior right-hander Keegan Kochis (4 IP, 3 H, 3 Ks).