Today, is the start of a feature that brings you, the Swede baseball fan, added insight into the team, recent games, upcoming games, and other various exploits of the Swedes. This will be updated hopefully quite often, as important events happen, so keep checking for new columns.
First things first, I must get you up to date on what has already happened. The Swedes are 5-6, after Saturday's games versus Dana College of Nebraska. The season opened on February 21, against the Fort Hays State Tigers, then ranked 13th in NCAA, Division II polls. Even though BC put up a fight (as they had done the year before, losing 6-1), FHSU ended up winning 7-1. Clay Witt, Kris Bernal, Clint Strassburg, Jeremy Cantrell, and Daniel Regan threw very well in their first outing of the season, giving up a run here and a run there, but no real big damage in any inning. The pitching staff only allowed three earned runs in the nine inning game. The offense, although showing signs of life (Darren Kaustinen went 3 for 3), just couldn't put enough back to back hits together in order to keep up with the Tigers.
Peru State College, from Peru, Nebraska, came to Lindsborg the very next day for the Swedes home opener. These two teams appeared to be evenly matched, and although Coach Mike Waldie really wanted a sweep of the doubleheader, he did not seem overly troubled at finishing the day with only one win. Clay Witt started the first game, and although he was tough, the Bobcats held an 8-6 lead until Jason Schmeiser finished his 3-4 game by stepping up in the bottom of the seventh with one out and Chris Tusant and Bobby Richardson on base. He proceeded to unload a pitch into the parking lot beyond the left field fence at Anderson Field, giving the Swedes a dramatic 9-8 victory, and reliever Daniel Regan his first collegiate win. Game 2 started out very well, with Brad Schrader breaking a 2-2 tie with a two run homer in the third inning. Up 6-2 in the top of the sixth inning, Peru State erupted for five runs off of starter Kris Bernal and Regan, who took the loss in relief, 7-6. Schmeiser, David Bard, and Mike Jackson each had 2-4 games.
The following Tuesday, February 24, the Hillsdale Baptist University Saints of Oklahoma made a trip into Lindsborg. Clint Strassburg made the start in game 1, and was dominating Saints batters throughout, limiting them to one run on five hits in eight innings. In the bottom of the eighth, David Bard reached on an error by the shortstop, was advanced to second on a Sean Spoonts sacrifice bunt, and then, after a Brad Schrader lineout to second, was driven home by a Mike Jackson single to left, giving the Swedes a 2-1 win, and Strassburg his first collegiate victory. In the nightcap, sophomore Jeremy Cantrell held Hillsdale to two runs on six hits, earning him his first victory of the season, 6-2. Sean Spoonts led the Bethany attack, going 2-3, with a double and 2 RBI's. Combined, Strassburg and Cantrell only threw 156 pitches in their 15 innings of work. That figures out to 10.4 per inning, showing superb efficiency on the part of the southpaw hurlers.
Completing a jam packed week was a trip to Enid, Oklahoma on Friday, February 27 against the Phillips University Haymakers. This was Phillips second year back as a collegiate baseball team. On February 25, 1997, the Swedes and Haymakers squared off in Lindsborg, with Bethany winning the first game, 5-4 and dropping the second, 8-6. This years matchup was a very good lesson in dealing with adversity both in heartbreaking losses, and having the 10 run rule enacted against you (5 innings or later into a game, if a team is leading by 10 or more runs, the game is over). Clay Witt was masterful in the first game, throwing up "goose eggs" for five innings, due in part to some timely defense which turned three double plays, thwarting Haymaker rallies. In the bottom of the sixth, the wheels came off, as the defense committed two errors, en route to two unearned runs against Witt (0-1), and a 3-0 loss. The offense was just as baffled by their pitching, unable to muster a rally. Game two began with a bang. After a single by Bobby Richardson (2-4 in the game), Jason Schmeiser stepped up and delivered a one out homer to right center field, giving the Swedes a 2-0 lead. That lead, however, was short lived, as Phillips stepped up with nine runs in the first two innings against starter Kris Bernal, who had a rough outing, as did Clint Strassburg and Daniel Regan in the following innings. Chris Tusant added a solo homer in the top of the sixth, but it wasn't enough, as the Haymakers came away victorious, 17-7.
Due to one of the coldest Marches in Kansas history, the Swedes would not play another game for two weeks. A devastating snowstorm hit the central Kansas area on March 7 and 8, causing cancellation of games against Benedictine College and rendering Anderson Field unplayable for many days. As a result, Coach Waldie worked as hard as he could to find games to replace the lost ones as well as a place to play them. It seems that Wichita, 70 miles south of Lindsborg, had not been hit as hard by the storm. This meant that a field in the same city park complex that KCAC rival Friends University plays at could be rented for this weekend's games against Sterling College (KCAC opponent, but a non conference doubleheader) and Dana College.
Sterling proved to be good competition, and upcoming conference games against the Warriors should be taken VERY seriously by the Swedes. Each side was the home team for one of the games. Bethany was the first game visiting team, and bolted out to a fast 1-0 lead, thanks to Jason Schmeiser's third homer of the year, this one to right center. Clay Witt made it stand up until the fourth inning, when a bad throw on a double play attempt opened the door for the Warriors to score two unearned runs and take a 2-1 lead. In the sixth, the Swedes took charge, scoring three runs off of three Sterling pitchers to regain the lead at 4-2. The two teams traded runs in the seventh, and Witt earned the win, 5-3, raising his record to 1-1. One of the big reasons for victory was that the table setters in the order (1-2-3) went a combined 6 for 9 in the game, reaching base nine times, and scoring all five runs. In the second game, Clint Strassburg took the hill, and gained his second victory of the season. Bethany took the early lead in the first inning when Sterling pitcher Jared Hamilton uncorked four wild pitches, leading to three BC runs. Things remained that way until the bats came alive for both teams. SC brought it to 3-2 in the third with a two run homer by shortstop Pat Williams. The Swedes countered with three in the bottom half of the inning. In the fourth, Mike Jackson capped off his 3-4, 7 RBI game, delivering the knockout punch with a Grand Slam to dead center field (he also had two doubles, one in the first and one in the third). One out later, Brad Schrader (2-4, 2 RBI's) hit a two run homer, and suddenly the Swedes were up 12-2. Avoiding being 10-run ruled, Sterling bats countered with two runs in the fifth and one in the sixth. Sean Spoonts put the icing on the cake in the bottom of the inning with his solo shot over the left field fence, giving Bethany a 13-5, well deserved victory. Also notable was a 2-3 game by Bobby Richardson, scoring two runs. In this game, the top of the order reached base six more times, leading to five runs. When Kaustinen, Richardson, and Schmeiser are all hot at the same time, opposing pitchers had better worry, because the Swede offense is going to score at will.
Unfortunately, the bats went cold the very next day, right along with the weather. Playing in near freezing conditions in Wichita, the Swedes lost a doubleheader to the Dana College Vikings of Nebraska 8-0 and 5-2. Kris Bernal started the first game and was knocked around for six runs in two innings, but settled down, only allowing two more over the next four. The first two innings didn't appear as sharp as he would have liked them to, and starting in the third he began to really bear down and get more aggressive, showing a much better result in the third through sixth innings. That's what non conference games are for, though. Winning and losing are important, but even more so is finding your "stride", so to speak. If pitchers can start hitting their targets well and getting the mental edge in addition to the hitters concentrating on hitting line drives and other fundamentals, then the pre-KCAC games are a success, win or lose. Jeremy Cantrell started game two, and seemed to have the Vikings off balance with his constant changing of speeds. His only real mistake of the night was giving up a two run home run to Viking catcher Tim Podraza in the second inning. It didn't even look like it had home run distance when it left the bat, but just kept carrying until it passed over the left-center field wall. Other than that, he pitched very well, allowing all five runs, but only three of them earned. Many of us wondered how long it would take, but in the top of the sixth inning our questions were answered as Coach Waldie was ejected for the first time this year, and this time in bizarre style. It seems that on making a routine visit to the pitching mound, the coach made a comment about one of the home plate umpire's calls. He was summarily tossed from the game. It seemed to be a very mild comment, and most certainly should have been ignored by the thin skinned man in blue. In the seventh, the offense seemed to respond to their leader's ejection by taking their frustrations out on the Viking pitching, to this point dominant throughout the day. Bobby Richardson reached on an error by the second baseman. Chris Tusant followed with a walk. After two sharp line outs to left field, Jason Schmeiser was hit by a pitch, loading the bases. Pat Patterson then singled home two Swede runs, and stole second base afterwards. Brad Schrader than earned a walk, loading the bases again for David Bard. Dana brought in a left handed pitcher to face the left hand hitting Bard. He fought for six pitches, finally bouncing into a fielders choice to end the game.
Monday's game against Washburn in Topeka has been cancelled due to rain and cold weather. If the game is rescheduled, you can find the date and time by checking the Schedule Page.
I hope that each time I write this column, it doesn't end up looking like the novel War and Peace, but with the Spring Break trip coming up, next time may be very similar due to the large number of games scheduled (8). Please let me know what you think, and ways I can improve, using the mail address on the main baseball page. Hopefully this is only the beginning of good things, and by the next time I write, we will have at least ten wins entering conference play.
Return
To Main Baseball Page