FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Make that 12 consecutive wins! Madonna baseball continued its April onslaught with another pair of wins on Sunday (April 24) at Indiana Tech. The wins completed a four-game sweep over the host Warriors and lifted the Crusaders conference record to 19-4 (29-14 overall). Indiana Tech dropped to 26-16 overall and 10-12 in the WHAC after being swept by the Crusaders at home.
With the sweep, the Crusaders were able to gain a game on first place Davenport, moving to within a game and a half of the leader as the regular season begins its final turn.
GAME ONE – (RV) MADONNA 7, INDIANA TECH 6
In what was a high scoring affair, the Crusaders were able to make a dramatic push in the ninth inning, regaining the lead by a 7-6 margin before sitting the Warriors down in order to end the opener to capture another crucial WHAC victory. The win secured the series victory for the Crusaders and left MU searching for a sweep in game two in an effort to keep pace with No. 19 Davenport atop the conference.
The Crusaders offense was spread out over the course of the game with two runs scored in the first, three runs scored in the third and one run in both the eighth and ninth innings.
Shane Dokey (Howell,Mich/Brighton High School) ignited the MU bats with a one out single and a subsequent theft of second base to begin the first inning. Dokey came around to score one batter late when Ryan Lambrecht (Lake Orion,Mich./Lake Orion High School) sent an RBI double past the Warriors outfield alignment to give the Crusaders an early 1-0 edge. John Lauro (Rochester Hills,Mich./University of Detroit Jesuit High School) continued his strong series later in the inning, stepping into the box to record a RBI double of his own to help the Crusaders own a 2-0 lead after one inning.
The Warriors would get on the board in the home half of the second, cutting the Crusaders lead to 2-1 before MU posted a three-run third to extend its early edge to 5-1 in game three of the series. Freshman Jalen Thomas (Southfield, Mich./Lathrup High School) singled through the left side to drive Zack Byron (Dexter, Mich./Macomb CC) in before Lauro connected on his second home run of the series, this time a two-run shot to put the Crusaders ahead by four runs.
After a Warrior push in the middle stages of the game, the Crusaders found themselves looking up at a 6-5 deficit entering the eighth inning. Junior outfielder Taylor Grzelakowski (Fraser, Mich./Fraser High School) came to MU's rescue by belting a game-tying, two-out solo home run in the eighth to knot the game at 6-6. Grzelakowski's solo long ball, his second of the season, gave the Crusaders renewed life late in the game and helped lead to a thrilling ninth inning in Fort Wayne.
In the ninth, a battery of seniors made the difference as Dokey drove home Chase Dobbie (Mississauga, Ontario/Meadowvale Secondary) with the help of a Warrior error in left field. Dokey's single helped give the Crusaders a 7-6 lead – a lead that would hold as game one reliever Adam Prashad (Mississauga, Ontario/Mississauga Secondary) picked up the win after holding the Warriors at bay in the bottom of the ninth.
Evan Piechota (Livonia,Mich./Stevenson High School) got the nod in game one and went on to toss four innings with four strikeouts before handing duties off to Prashad. From there, Prashad remained on the bump to pitch the final five innings, allowing only one earned run while punching out five Warriors to move to 3-3 on the season.
GAME TWO – (RV) MADONNA 5, INDIANA TECH 2
The winning streak reached 12 games with a 5-2 victory to cap off Sunday's action in Fort Wayne. After working Wednesday on a pitch count at Siena Heights, junior pitcher Johno Rodriguez (Sterling Heights, Mich./Indian Hills CC) stepped on the mound to toss five innings of four strikeout ball. Rodriguez improved to a team-best 8-2 on the hill after only allowing one one and four hits over his five inning appearance.
The junior transfer gave way to Cliff Landess (Carleton, Mich./Airport High School) who came on to record one out in the sixth before Patrick Wierimaa (Redford, Mich./Union High School) earned his first save of 2016 by tossing the final 1 2/3 innings. Wierimaa scattered three hits over the final seven outs without giving up a run. The save was Wierimaa's second overall since arriving on the scene at Madonna.
Offensively, the Crusaders were paced by Matt Deneau (Amherstburg, Ontario/Saint Thomas Villanova) and John Lauro. Deneau got the Crusaders scoring started in game two with a two-run home run in the third inning, giving MU a 2-1 lead through three played. Deneau's home run – the first of two for the Crusaders in game two – was an opposite field shot that also drove in Ben Matigian (Livonia, Mich./Churchill High School) to give MU its first lead of the nightcap.
One inning later, Lauro connected on his third home run of the important weekend series with a two-run shot over the right field wall, capping off a two home run day for the senior first baseman. Lauro's long ball propelled the Crusaders to a 4-1 lead through four innings – a comfortable edge with Rodriguez on the mound.
The Warriors plated a run in the six to get within two, 4-2, before Ryan Lambrecht drove in an insurance run with a double to right center in the seventh to secure a 5-2 victory for the Crusaders.
