Cougars Pick Up Two WHAC Victories on Crazy Day of Reschedules

(Howell, MI)-- The Cleary Cougars baseball team was originally supposed to make a trip to Grand Rapids, but a field conflict left the host Aquinas College Saints without a place to play today, so the WHAC double-header was moved to Lake Trust Stadium and played under the lights, with Cleary playing as the visiting team.

In Game 1:  After two scoreless innings, Jesnel Soto led off the 3rd with a single to right field.  Two batters later, Aaron Dyke would triple, allowing Soto to score and giving Cleary a 1-0 lead.  Anthony Lacle singled Dyke home in the next at bat, and Cleary led 2-0.  Aquinas would score in the bottom of the 3rd to cut the lead to 2-1, but Cleary would respond in the top of the 4th.  After Nicklas Koan drew a walk, Jesnel Soto tripled to right center to score Koan and give the Cougars a 3-1 lead.  In the 6th, Colton Fountain singled to center field (Zach Agemak would pinch run), and Nicklas Koan advanced Agemak on a sacrifice bunt.  Two intentional walks loaded the bases, and Anthony Lacle made the Saints pay with a single to left field that scored Agemak and Jesnel Soto to give the Cougars a 5-1 lead.  Aquinas would score one more run in the bottom of the 6th, but that would be as close as they would get, as the Cougars held on to win 5-2.
Garrett Larner earned the victory, allowing 2 R (1 earned) while striking out 2 in 5.2 innings pitched, and Colin Brazil picked up his 4th save, allowing 0 R in 1.1 innings pitched.  Antonly Lacle went 2/3 with 3 RBI, and Jesnel Soto went 2/3 with 2 R and 1 RBI.

In Game 2:  Cleary got things going right off the bat, as Aaron Dyke led off the game with a double to right center.  Jeremy VanOosterum would single home Dyke three batters later to give the Cougars an early 1-0 lead.  In the 4th, Cleary added two more runs.  Ryan Kadoguchi had a single to the pitcher, and Kyle Miazgowicz drew a walk, followed by an Aaron Dyke hit by pitch to load the bases.  Anthony Lacle would single to center, scoring Kadoguchi and Miazgowicz, giving Cleary a 3-0 lead.  Aquinas got on the board in the bottom half of the inning, but Cleary responded once again in the top of the 5th.  After Nicklas Koan reached on a fielder's choice, Ryan Kadoguchi doubled to right field, scoring Koan from first to give the Cougars a 4-1 lead.  The Saints answered again, scoring once more in the bottom of the 5th.  In the 7th, Jeremy VanOosterum tripled to left center, and Nicklas Koan singled him home to give the Cougars a 5-2 lead.  Cleary would add some insurance in the 9th, when Kendall Flaugher led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch.  Billy Flohr advanced him on a sacrifice bunt, and Jeremy VanOosterum brought Flaugher home with a double to left center.  Colton Fountain would single home VanOosterum, and gave the Cougars their 7-2 lead that they held on to through the final out.
Quinn Foster earned his first career victory, allowing 2 R (1 earned) on 7 hits over 5 innings.  Jeremy Fuchs picked up a 4-inning save, allowing 0 R on 3 hits and striking out 2.  At the plate, Jeremy VanOosterum went 3/5 with 2 RBI and 2 R, while Anthony Lacle went 2/3 with 2 RBI, and Ryan Kadoguchi went 2/5.

Cleary improves to 20-22, 8-12 in the WHAC.  The Cougars will make a non-conference trip to Spring Arbor to take on the Cougars on Tuesday, April 26.  First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 PM