SOLON– The Spartans lost their first baseball game of the season.
It’s their last game Head Coach Keith McSweeney wants to win.
Solon’s varsity baseball team opened at home in a newly-renovated park May 24, splitting a doubleheader with the Liberty High Lightning.
The Lightning cruised to a 12-1 win in the opener, but the Spartans roared back for a 14-8 victory in the nightcap.
“We play an extremely difficult schedule… maybe the most difficult I’ve organized,” McSweeney noted. “But the purpose behind this is to sharpen our teeth and face quality pitching as often as possible. There’s no question we’ll experience losses and failures throughout the season, but the key will be how our leaders help us emerge on the other side.
“We believe we have the players (that have invested in the necessary preparation) to succeed in the postseason… and that’s our goal,” he added. “We want to win our last game.”
Liberty touched up starting pitcher Brayden Rickertsen for nine runs (five earned) over three and 2/3 innings in the opening loss. The Lightning took a 3-0 lead in the first inning and tacked on six more runs in the fourth. The Spartans’ only run came when Rickertsen scored in the home half of the third.
Solon was limited to just two hits, both singles by sophomore Blake Timmons. Liberty had only five hits for the game, but was granted extra base runners with six batters hit by pitch. Seniors Cade Chapman and Austin Schwake, and junior Parker Pentico pitched in relief for the Spartans.
In the second half of the doubleheader, Solon scored all but one of its 14 runs in the third inning.
Liberty had taken a 1-0 lead in the top of the inning, but the Spartan offense erupted for 13 runs in the bottom half. The Lightning would go on to score multiple runs in each of the next three innings while Solon tacked on one run in the fifth.
Chapman went 3-4 at the plate with three RBI and three runs scored. Timmons added two hits, one a triple, with three RBI and two runs scored. Freshman Gehrig Turner was 2-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Seven different players batted in a run, with 12 hits in 34 total plate appearances.
Senior Drew Turner earned the win on the mound, allowing four runs (two earned) on three hits while striking out five and walking three over four innings. Seniors Brady Jeworrek, Will Noonan and Bo Janssen spent time throwing in relief.
Solon moved to 2-1 on the young season with an 8-0 shutout of Iowa City Regina on the road Wednesday, May 26.
Timmons and senior Jacob Smith combined to no-hit the Regals. Timmons walked three and struck out five, while Smith struck out four and issued no walks.
The Spartans broke open a scoreless game with four runs in the top of the third, and went on to add a run in the fourth and three more in the fifth.
Chapman was 2-3 with an RBI and two runs scored; Jeworrek was 2-4 with a run scored; senior Jackson Ryan and Gehrig Turner each added two RBI. Solon made the most of its eight hits, aided by seven hit batters and collecting six walks.
A home doubleheader against Independence May 27 was postponed due to weather.
McSweeney expects his team’s defense and bats should be strengths this year.
“With the potential emergence of some aces, we should be a team to contend with by July,” he said.
Rickertsen, Jeworrek, Drew Turner, Timmons and Jacob Smith are vying for that role, he reported, with Noonan, Janssen, Schwake and Pentico also in the mix.
“And we hope to get Jake Van Roekel back after he rehabs from preseason injury,” he added. “All these individuals will serve as relievers and starters in the first part of the season as our coach staff evaluates who will give our team the best opportunity to ultimately succeed in district play.”
Solon ended an abbreviated 2020 season with a 14-8 record, falling to Clear Creek Amana in a Class 3A substate semifinal, 8-7.
The Spartans brought back a large and athletic senior class with lots of depth, McSweeney observed.
“We also have a mix of very talented younger players that possess significant varsity experience,” he added. “Our goal is to blend our large roster in a way that allows us to peak by mid-July.”
Returning starting bats include Carson Shive (LF .359), Kinnick Pusteoska (1B .317), Brett White (3B/SS .304), Timmons (2B .262) and Jeworrek (SS/P .277). Some promising potential starters include Chapman (UT), Ryan (CF), Ben Cusick (UT), Drew Turner (C) and Rickertsen (OF).
Westen Stiegelmeyer (OF), Gehrig Turner (UT), Logan Gruchow (IF), Michael Pipolo (OF) and Jacob Timmons (3B/IB) are expected to push for playing time as well, McSweeney said.
The coach added his thanks to the school district, parents, alumni, local businesses and philanthropic organizations for the improvements to the field, which included new dugouts and higher netting.
Solon’s baseball field has long been recognized as one of the best in the state, and the changes outside the lines have made it even better, McSweeney said.
“Our players and coaches are ecstatic to be able to call such a tremendous facility our home,” he added.