Carroll Catholic Crusaders baseball record improves to 5-2 on the season

[August 25, 2017] 

Coach Howie Fuiten’s Crusaders baseball team improved to 5-2 this week with a 7-6 win over Chester East-Lincoln and a 10-6 win over Hartsburg-Emden.

CCS 7
CEL 6

“Logan County has a lot of young great baseball players and the future looks bright,” said CCS coach Howie Fuiten. Despite the CEL’s offense pounding out several extra base hits in Wednesday’s game, the Crusaders outlasted the Panthers by a score of 7-6.

Andrew Graue picked up the win for the Crusaders. Graue gave up 2 runs, struck out 5 batters and walked 4 batters.

Clay Aylesworth pitched the final four innings and he struck out 7 batters and walked three batters.

Offensively for Carroll Catholic Trent Koehler had two hits and scored twice.

Andrew Graue cleared the bases with his double and Coach Fuiten added, “His defense at shortstop was very impressive.” Jarrett Evers also had two hits and two RBIs. Aylesworth had a double and an RBI walk and scored twice. Parker Graue and Kyle Gellner each had hits for the winning team as well.

The Panther’s pitcher, Brenden Werth, managed to pitch very well and keep the Crusaders off balance, according to Fuiten. Fuiten complimented the Panthers saying, “They are very well coached and do things the right way.”

CCS 10
Hartem 6

Fifth grader Parker Graue earned his first career win for the Crusaders Thursday afternoon as CCS defeated Hartem 10-6. Graue recorded the final four outs of the game. According to Fuiten, Graue got out of a jam late in the game with a comebacker to the mound while runners were on second and third. Graue also struck out two batters in the bottom of the seventh inning to end the game. No pressure here for a fifth grader.

Sixth grader Jarrett Evers started the game for CCS and he gave up 3 earned runs while striking out 4 batters.

The Crusaders offense was led by Trent Koehler with 2 hits, 2 runs scored and 4 stolen bases. Evers had 3 hits and 5 RBIs. Kyle Gellner had 2 hits, 2 RBIs and scored 2 runs. Clay Aylesworth’s busy day consisted of 2 hits, 2 runs scored, 2 RBIs and 4 stolen bases.

“It was an exciting game,” said Fuiten. “The Crusaders scored four runs in the top of the seventh inning to break the tie. The Stags are improving and not a team that can be easily overlooked. It was a fun game to be a part of and I’m very proud of how the boys stayed positive. The bottom half of the order came through and we are building for the future. The older guys finished it off in the top half of the seventh inning. Then the young man came in to finish it off. The best way to learn is with experience. We are not the best team around, but they do play hard and as a coach that makes me smile.”

For the Stags, Martin had 3 hits and scored twice, Langley had 3 hits and scored 3 times, McAfee had 2 hits, Farris had 2 hits and Hopkins had a hit and a run scored.

The Crusaders next game is Monday at 4:30 p.m. at the Lincoln Rec Center versus Christian Life Academy.

[Teena Lowery]