By Jennifer Eisenbart
Staff Writer
At the start of the 2013 season, Burlington High School baseball coach Scott Staude had a lot of unanswered questions – especially when it came to his pitching staff.
After the last week, consider most of those questions answered.
Playing six games in six days – including doubleheaders on back-to-back days last Thursday and Friday – the Demons came out with a 5-1 record, the lead in the Southern Lakes Conference, and a shot of confidence for what is still a young team.
Burlington swept Wilmot April 25, 6-5 and 6-4, then came back right away on Friday to sweep Elkhorn, 2-1 and 5-1.
On Monday, BHS lost 6-5 to Kenosha Indian Trails Academy, but bounced back Tuesday with a 4-3 win at Waterford.
“Well, it’s kind of nice,” Staude said. “We’ve had a chance to play some teams here consecutively, and establish a pitching staff.
“That said, we’ve had to stretch our pitching staff a little bit,” he added. “We think we’re covered, at least in terms of depth.”
Starting off the run with the two wins against perennial powerhouse Wilmot – one in extra innings – was a big boost, the coach said.
“It gave our team a lot of confidence,” Staude said of the two wins. “When you beat a perennial contender … those are big wins for us.
“It also showed we could win some close games.”
The 6-5 win was in extra innings, with Dane Helnore picking up the win in relief of Nolan Friend – who went five innings with four runs, only two of which were earned.
Mark Wallace got the win in game two, with Nick Bartlett coming on in relief.
The close-game trend continued Friday. In the first game, after both teams were scoreless through seven and still tied 1-1 going into the bottom of the tenth, Bartlett laid down a bunt to bring in the winning run.
“It was a suicide squeeze,” Staude said. “(He) put down a great sacrifice bunt.”
BHS used four different pitchers in the game, with Houston Cowan going five innings with six strikeouts and three walks, and Bartlett, Wallace and Nate Sibley coming on in relief.
In game two, the Demons pounded out 10 hits, including two each by Friend, Helnore and Sibley.
BHS struggled in the loss to Indian Trails Monday, though.
“I think it was a case where we didn’t play well at all offensively,” Staude said. “We just made too many offensive errors.”
The Demons’ youth also played a part.
“We’re going to have some growing pains,” Staude said. “We had three very costly base-running errors.”
But in Tuesday’s win over Waterford, Burlington was solid. Friend pitched seven strong innings for the Demons, and also had a bases-loaded, two RBI base hit in the fifth to make the score 3-0.
Friend’s only mistake, Staude said, was a three-run homer to Tanner Hunsucker in the bottom of the seventh inning.
“He wasn’t just going to give up and walk him,” Staude said. “He threw a fastball and Hunsucker jumped on it.”
The Demons are now 8-3 overall, 6-1 in the Southern Lakes.
BHS is scheduled to host Waterford tonight at 4:30 p.m., and then travel to Horlick Field Friday to play Racine Park at 4:30 p.m.
“Hopefully that’s it,” “Hopefully we don’t get a rainout.”
-
-
-
-
-