ROCORI Splits Weekend Doubleheader in New Ulm

NEW ULM -- The ROCORI Spartans baseball team took the road to take part in a doubleheader over the weekend, facing a pair of non-conference opponents on May 13-14.

ROCORI began the weekend facing New Ulm on May 13, wrapping up the weekend the next day while taking on Red Wing. The Spartans ended up splitting those two contests at Johnson Field in New Ulm.

On May 13, ROCORI took on New Ulm in a non-conference showdown, falling to the Eagles 5-4. The Spartans kicked off scoring in the game, tallying one run in the first inning and two in the second inning. New Ulm answered back with one run in the first inning, two in the second inning, and one in each of the third and fifth innings to take a one-run lead into the final frame of play. The Spartans added one run in the top of the seventh, but couldn't complete the comeback on the road.

Jack Spanier went 2-for-3 with one run scored and one RBI, Beck Loesch and Brady Blattner had one hit and one RBI each and Luke Van Erp drove in one run to lead ROCORI at the plate. On the mound, Hunter Fuchs pitched the first five innings while giving up four earned runs and striking out two, and Even Acheson threw the final inning for the Spartans, giving up just one hit in a shutout relief appearance.

On May 14, ROCORI returned to action to face Red Wing in New Ulm, bouncing back with a 5-3 victory to secure a split of the two-game weekend series. The Spartans once again kicked the game off strong, scoring one run in the first inning and extending their lead with four runs in the third inning. Red Wing scored twice in the first inning and once in the third inning, but ROCORI shut the Wingers down the rest of the way.

Blattner went 2-for-4 with one RBI, Thad Lieser went 2-for-3 with one run scored, Peyton Randall and Spanier each had one hit, one RBI and one run scored and Blake Tylutki added one hit and one RBI for the Spartans at the plate. Blattner started the game on the mound and earned the win, pitching five innings and giving up five hits, three earned runs and striking out four. Tyler Lardy finished the game with two innings of relief work, giving up no runs, one hit, no walks and striking out one.

With the split of the two games, ROCORI moves to 7-4 overall on the season, remaining at 6-3 in Central Lakes Conference play. The Spartans return to the field on May 17 when they travel to Alexandria to face the Cardinals at 5 p.m. at Knute Nelson Field in Alexandria.