Greyhounds sweep

By JIM BASTIAN

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM -- The Cathedral Greyhounds recorded their fifth and sixth consecutive wins Tuesday afternoon, sweeping McLeod West 5-1 and 8-6 in Tomahawk Conference baseball action.

In the first game, John Knisley pitched a complete-game four-hitter, striking out two in improving his pitching record to 3-1 this season.

Cathedral bats pounded out seven hits off Falcon starter and losing pitcher Oliver Schuster, led by Joey Schugel's 3-for-3 plate performance, including a solo home run in the fourth inning.

In the nightcap, Cathedral took an 8-2 lead into the seventh and had to survive a rally by McLeod West as the Falcons pushed four runs across in the seventh.

Tony Moldan got the pitching win. Sophomore Adam Prochniak relieved, along with Joey Penkert. But both Prochniak and Penkert suffered control problems before Jacob Mertz came in to preserve the win.

The Hounds (12-5) will host Wabasso Thursday at 4:45 p.m.

CATHEDRAL 5, McLEOD WEST 1

Knisley continued his strong pitching performances, adding another one in the first-game win.

"He had another nice game for us," said Hound coach Bob Weier. "He kept his pitch count down, he got ahead of most of the hitters which kept them off-stride and swinging at pitches. The old theory of letting the hitter get himself out. You use the percentages in baseball and he did that today."

Knisley was backed by an errorless defense. Brandon Reinarts added two hits.

Andy Bauer had a double and a triple for McLeod West.

Cathedral would plate two runs off Schuster in the first inning -- an inning that had a different look to it as the Hounds parlayed three hits and two Falcon errors into two runs.

Schugel singled to start the inning and stole second. He went to third when the throw from McLeod West catcher Dean Loncorich sailed into center field. Schuster then bounced a pitch that handcuffed Loncorich and when Schugel attempted to score, he was tagged out at home. Dusty Wilfahrt and Reinarts followed with singles. Following a fielder's choice, Penkert walked to load the bases. Mitch Palmer's ground ball to shortstop Travis Bussler resulted in a throwing error that permitted Reinarts to score for a 1-0 lead. A walk to Kyle Helget forced in the second run of the inning

McLeod West would threaten in the top of the third off Knisley when Nate Strand and Kameron Hanji singled. But Travis Bussler grounded into an inning-ending double play to third baseman Helget.

Cathedral tapped Schuster for a single run in the third as Penkert walked and scored on Palmer's double to left field. It was Palmer's third double in two days as the Hounds went ahead 3-0.

Cathedral used the long ball to make it a 4-0 game in the fourth when Schugel tattooed a Schuster pitch over the fence in right-center.

"We had some timely hitting and scratched out a run here and there," commented Weier. "Joey (Schugel) has been our go-to guy this year on offense. He seems to get things going for us since we put him in that lead-off spot. That way, we get him up at the plate more often which usually means more runs."

McLeod West tapped Knisley for their only run in the fifth inning when Bauer tripled just out of the reach of right fielder Hans Biebl. He would score on Ryan Hanson's groundout.

After that, Knisley settled down, allowing only one more hit, a double with two out in the seventh.

Cathedral scored in the bottom of the sixth without the aid of a hit. Mertz walked and swiped second. A balk moved him to third and he scored on Wilfahrt's groundout.

CATHEDRAL 8, McLEOD WEST 6

The Hounds used a nine hit attack to sweep the Falcons in the nightcap.

Biebl and Helget each had two hits as Moldan recorded the mound win. Moldan allowed two runs on six hits in his five innings of work.

Hanson took the loss for the Falcons. Chad Genz and Hanson each collected two hits for McLeod West.

Cathedral plated a run in the first when Wilfahrt walked and stole second. Reinarts' ground ball to third resulted in Reinarts being thrown out. But on the throw to first, Wilfahrt took off for third. Loncorich's throw from first to third scooted by third for an error as Wilfahrt scored.

The Hounds made it 3-0 in the second when Helget and Mertz walked. A fielder's choice moved them each up a base before Schugel rapped a two-run single to center.

McLeod West would score in the third on a walk to Bussler and singles by Loncorich and Genz.

Helget's double in the fourth sparked a three-run inning. Mertz' sacrifice bunt moved Helget to third. Moldan was hit by a Hanson pitch and Schugel walked to load the bases. A passed ball, a Reinarts' sacrifice fly and a Biebl bloop single made it 6-1.

Genz's triple and a Schuster sacrifice fly in the fifth cut the lead to 6-2.

Cathedral added what turned out to be two timely insurance runs in the sixth. Wilfahrt doubled and when Reinarts grounded out, Wilfahrt went to third. A throwing error on the play allowed Wilfahrt to score. Biebl followed with a double and scored on Penkert's triple to center for an 8-2 lead.

McLeod West used a walk off Prochniak, a double by Bussler and another free pass to load the bases with no outs. Penkert came in and walked Genz to force in a run before he got Schuster on an infield pop out. A walk and a single cut the lead to 8-5 before Mertz came in and allowed one more run before recording the final two outs.

Cathedral's B-squad (15-1) took two from McLeod West Tuesday, winning 11-5 and 11-10.

Adam Neubauer earned the win in game one, pitching a complete game, striking out five and walking two. He also went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.

Adam Prochniak went 2-for-3 with a double and Eric Portner was 2-for-2 with two RBI.

Portner earned the win in relief in game two, giving up four runs in two innings. He struck out three and walked four.

Neubauer went 3-for-3 with a double, a triple and three RBI. Joey Lux had a double, scored two and drove in one. Jake Schlomann had a double and an RBI.

1st game

McLEOD WEST 000 010 0--1 4 2

CATHEDRAL 201 101 x--5 7 0

WP-Knisley, LP-Schuster. 2B-Palmer (CHS), Bauer (MW). 3B-Bauer (MW). HR-Schugel (CHS).

2nd game

CATHEDRAL 120 302 0--8 9 1

McLEOD WEST 001 010 4--6 8 2

WP-Moldan, LP-Hanson. 2B-Helget (CHS), Wilfahrt (CHS), Bussler (MW). 3B-Genz (CHS), Penkert (CHS).