Skutt reliever shuts down Bolts
Once Zach Croonquist warmed up a bit, he was able to put out the fire.
Croonquist struck out five batters in the final three innings to help Omaha Skutt earn an 8-5 victory against Lincoln Pius X on Monday at Densmore Field.
With Skutt leading 7-2, the 6-foot-7 right-hander came on in relief in the bottom of the fifth inning. He replaced Michael Servais after Servais hit Eric Schleppenbach with the bases loaded.
The Thunderbolts’ Alex Heideman lofted a fly ball to deep right, and when Eric Pivovar lost the ball in the sun, it dropped in for a two-run double. A wild pitch plated another run before Croonquist got three straight strikeouts to end the rally.
“Zach came in and gave up a popup like we wanted, but we lost it in the sun,” said Skutt coach Keith Engelkamp. “Then he struck out the side.”
Skutt got an insurance run in the sixth when John Beutler stroked a two-out single to right field.
But Pius X threatened again in the bottom of the seventh when Schleppenbach doubled and Tim Tlamka singled. Two different fielders lost the two fly balls in the sun.
But Croonquist got an infield popup and then a groundout to earn the save.
“I had a lot of nerves when I came in,” said Croonquist, a junior. “I was real cold to start out but then my arm warmed up. I settled down and started hitting my spots. My fastball was moving and my off-speed pitch was hitting today.”
Skutt broke a 1-1 tie with a five-run fourth inning. Pivovar was hit by a pitch and scored on a double by John Elliott. After Austin Cole was hit by pitch, Corey Stringer hit a two-run triple, his second triple of the game. Jaime Johnson reached first on a squeeze that drove in a run, and Kyle Smith stole home on a double-steal attempt in which Beutler was run down.
“Anytime you show the resilience to get back in a game, that’s a good sign,” said Pius X assistant coach Steve Selk. “Croonquist located his pitches very well. Some of them, even if we had swung at them, we would have bounced out or missed. He always was ahead in the count.”
Reach Ryly Jane Hambleton at 473-7314 or rhambleton@journalstar.com.
Croonquist struck out five batters in the final three innings to help Omaha Skutt earn an 8-5 victory against Lincoln Pius X on Monday at Densmore Field.
With Skutt leading 7-2, the 6-foot-7 right-hander came on in relief in the bottom of the fifth inning. He replaced Michael Servais after Servais hit Eric Schleppenbach with the bases loaded.
The Thunderbolts’ Alex Heideman lofted a fly ball to deep right, and when Eric Pivovar lost the ball in the sun, it dropped in for a two-run double. A wild pitch plated another run before Croonquist got three straight strikeouts to end the rally.
“Zach came in and gave up a popup like we wanted, but we lost it in the sun,” said Skutt coach Keith Engelkamp. “Then he struck out the side.”
Skutt got an insurance run in the sixth when John Beutler stroked a two-out single to right field.
But Pius X threatened again in the bottom of the seventh when Schleppenbach doubled and Tim Tlamka singled. Two different fielders lost the two fly balls in the sun.
But Croonquist got an infield popup and then a groundout to earn the save.
“I had a lot of nerves when I came in,” said Croonquist, a junior. “I was real cold to start out but then my arm warmed up. I settled down and started hitting my spots. My fastball was moving and my off-speed pitch was hitting today.”
Skutt broke a 1-1 tie with a five-run fourth inning. Pivovar was hit by a pitch and scored on a double by John Elliott. After Austin Cole was hit by pitch, Corey Stringer hit a two-run triple, his second triple of the game. Jaime Johnson reached first on a squeeze that drove in a run, and Kyle Smith stole home on a double-steal attempt in which Beutler was run down.
“Anytime you show the resilience to get back in a game, that’s a good sign,” said Pius X assistant coach Steve Selk. “Croonquist located his pitches very well. Some of them, even if we had swung at them, we would have bounced out or missed. He always was ahead in the count.”
Reach Ryly Jane Hambleton at 473-7314 or rhambleton@journalstar.com.
Copyright © 2002-2008 Lincoln Journal Star. All rights reserved.