SOLON — The varsity baseball team improved to 19-13 overall and 13-7 in the WaMaC East behind leader Beckman Catholic (20-10/15-5) after another busy week on the diamond, which included a sweep of WaMaC East rival Mount Vernon Thursday, June 23 at home.
The Spartans clobbered the Mustangs 13-4 and 10-7.
Kinnick Pusteoska drove Brett White home in the bottom of the first inning of game one with a double for a 1-0 lead. Mt. Vernon tied with a run in the second but a Tyson Wheeler RBI scored Jacob Timmons to make it 2-1 while an RBI triple from White made it 3-1 in the bottom half of the inning. Solon loaded the bases but left all three stranded. Five more runs went up in the third for Solon as Wheeler knocked a two-RBI single to score Michael Pipolo and Colin Werner making it 5-1, Pusteoska smacked a two-RBI double, and Gehrig Turner hit an RBI single for an 8-1 advantage.
The Mustangs attempted to rally back in the top of the fourth with an RBI double making it 8-2 before loading up the bases with one out. Two runs were walked in before a pitching change put Brick Kabela on the mound replacing Parker Pentico. Pentico gave up two hits and four earned runs, walked six, and struck out one in 3-2/3 innings.
White drilled a two-RBI homer in the fifth scoring Blake Timmons and building the lead back to 10-4 before Logan Gruchow drove in a run making it 11-4. White struck again in the sixth with an RBI single and Pusteoska also nailed an RBI single for a 13-4 lead and final.
Pusteoska led at the plate with four hits and four RBIs, White produced three hits and four RBIs, Wheeler and Gehrig Turner had two hits each with three RBIs for Wheeler and one for Turner while Blake Timmons, Pipolo, Jacob Timmons, and Colin Werner had one hit each. Kabela took the win with 3-1/3 innings on the mound giving up no hits and no runs, walking one, and striking out two.
Solon outlasted Mt. Vernon in the nightcap with Pusteoska (a double), Turner, Gruchow (a double), Pipolo, Jacob Timmons (a double), and Wheeler putting up one hit each. Pusteoska and Pipolo drove in two runs apiece with one RBI for Gruchow, Timmons, and Ty Bell.
Gruchow earned the win with 1-1/3 innings on the mound giving up two hits and four runs (three earned), walking three and striking out one. Wheeler pitched three innings giving up two hits, walking two, and striking out five while Bell worked 2-2/3 innings giving up two hits, three earned runs, and walking six.
Lightning strikes the Spartans 6-5
Solon opened the week with a non-conference game against Class 4A Liberty High Tuesday, June 21 in North Liberty. The Lightning struck the Spartans for a 6-5 loss with the “Bolts” scoring two runs in the bottom of the first and adding one run in the second. Solon plated one runner in the top of the fourth, which was answered by a Liberty run in the bottom half giving the Lightning a 4-1 advantage. One more Spartan scored in the fifth and a three-run rally in the seventh gave Solon a 5-4 lead. Unfortunately, the Lightning struck for two runs and the win.
Logan Gruchow led with two hits, Brett White and Tyson Wheeler had one apiece with an RBI each for White, Michael Pipolo, Jackson Link, and Wheeler. Brick Kabela was charged the loss with two innings on the mound. Kabela gave up one hit and two runs (one earned) and struck out one. Blake Timmons pitched four innings giving up five hits and four earned runs, walking three, and striking out seven. White gave up one hit and walked two.
Solon smites the Knights 13-2
The Spartans stayed on the road Wednesday, June 22 with a visit to Assumption Catholic in Davenport. Solon shelled the Knights 13-2 with two runs in the first, a seven-run assault in the second, one run each in the third and fifth innings, and two in the sixth to end the contest early. Assumption plated one runner in the first and second innings.
Brett White led at the plate with four hits including a double, a triple, and a pair of homeruns with four runs batted in. Gehrig Turner produced two hits with two RBIs, Kinnick Pusteoska, Michael Pipolo, Jacob Timmons, Colin Werner, and Tyson Wheeler had one hit each with two RBIs for Pipolo, and one for Werner. Logan Gruchow also batted in one run. Vince Steinbrech went the distance on the mound giving up four hits and two earned runs with three strikeouts.
Spartans run over the Regals 15-1
The week ended with a 15-1 blowout win at home over Regina Catholic Friday, June 24. Two Spartans dashed home in the first inning for a quick 2-0 lead. The Regals scored in the top of the third, but a 12-run barrage made it 14-1 after three innings of play. One more Spartan scored in the fourth for the 15-1 final.
Brett White, Gehrig Turner, Logan Gruchow, Michael Pipolo, Jacob Timmons, and Tyson Wheeler produced one hit each with a two-RBI double for White, a three-RBI double for Timmons, and two RBIs each for Turner and Gruchow. Drew Wilcox worked the mound all five innings giving up four hits and one earned run. He walked one and struck out four.
Upcoming games
The Marion Wolves visit for a 5:00 p.m. doubleheader Thursday, June 30 and North Scott visits for a JV/Varsity pair starting at 5:00 p.m. (JV).
Class 3A Substate action starts Friday, July 8. Solon is in Substate No.4 with Center Point-Urbana, Central DeWitt, Maquoketa, Mount Vernon, Vinton-Shellsburg, Wahlert Catholic, and West Delaware.
Parker Pentico dials-in a pitch in game one of a doubleheader against rival Mount Vernon Thursday, June 23 at home. Pentico worked 3-2/3 innings giving up two hits and four earned runs in a 13-4 Solon win.