Cougars shut out Eagles: Trinity wins shortened game

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For The Tribune

Trinity Lutheran’s baseball team put together what coach Matt VonDielingen said was a complete team effort to shut out Jac-Cen-Del 7-0 Friday afternoon at Alf Snyder Field.

The game was called after Jac-Cen-Del batted in the fifth inning because of lightning.

“Our offense seems to come and go,” VonDielingen said. “If we start off good, we’re solid and we score a lot of runs. If we start off poor in the first inning we don’t.”

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Jake VonDielingen led off the bottom of the first with a triple into left-center field and Nick Mensendiek followed with a sacrifice fly to center field and it was quickly 1-0.

With two out and nobody on base, Kendall White singled to left. He advanced to second on a passed ball and went to third when the pitcher tried to pick him off second base and threw the ball into center field.

Ross Kruse grounded to shortstop, but his throw to first was low and White scored on the error.

“The leadoff triple got us going, it pumped us up and we hit well, so that’s what it takes for us. It was a spark plug up top,” coach VonDielingen said.

The Cougars (6-6) broke the game open with a four-run third.

Jake Moore and White hit back-to-back doubles to produce the first run. Kruse again grounded out to the shortstop, who made another error that allowed White to score.

Jacob Crockett laid down a squeeze bunt with Kruse scoring for a 5-0 lead. Trent Shoemaker walked, stole second and scored on a hit by Sam Crick.

Moore walked in the fourth and scored on a triple into left-center by White.

White, with a single, double and triple, had his second three-hit game of the season to go along with two runs and two RBIs.

Crick, who had been sidelined since April 8 after suffering an elbow injury at Hauser, filled the designated hitter role and had two hits.

Five different Cougars combined for the eight hits, five players scored runs and four players had RBIs.

Moore, a senior left-hander, held the Eagles to one hit, a sharp single to left by Ben Harlemert with one out in the fourth. Moore had 11 strikeouts and hit one batter.

“He was on his stuff tonight,” VonDielingen said of Moore. “He was throwing strikes and really mixing speeds up, and had good location. He really looked good tonight.

“It was a really good win for us. I know they were a little short of players tonight but we’ll gladly take that. We had several guys contribute at the plate. We hit the ball really well. We turned a lot of guys in the outfield around today.”

The Cougars are scheduled to host Indianapolis Lutheran for a doubleheader today beginning at 10 a.m.

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