Baseball, softball clubs earn first wins behind stellar pitching
By Mike Ramczyk
Correspondent
Burlington baseball coach Scott Staude wasn’t joking when he said pitching was going to be his team’s strength this season.
After two games, the Demons have thrown two no-hitters, and Tuesday’s gem from Trey Krause resulted in the team’s first win.
In five innings, Krause struck out 10 and walked one as the host Demons cruised to a 10-0 win over Delavan-Darien in a Southern Lakes Conference opener in chilly temperatures at Beaumont Field.
One night after Trent Turzenski and Colin Degroot combined to throw a no-hitter in a 3-2 walk-off loss at Kenosha Indian Trail, the bats came alive with 13 hits and two four-run innings.
Ten Demons recorded hits as the team hit .500 in an all-out slug fest.
“It was good to get a win after a difficult loss last night,” Staude said. “Obviously Trey and Trent are off to a very good start. I am impressed by the way they are commanding all of their pitches so early in the season.”
“Tonight, I was happy with our at-bats, base-running and offensive production.”
Burlington was in control after a four-run third inning made it 5-0.
Trent Turzenski led the way with a 3-for-4 night and four RBIs.
“Trent had a nice day at the plate, and we got contributions up and down the lineup,” Staude said.
The plethora of contributions included two hits from Danny Peterson and one hit each from Michael Rozell, Riley Palmquist, Tyler Duesing, Krause, Jason Adams, Degroot, Tucker Strommen and Skyler Danielson.
Rozell and Degroot both tripled, and the Demons totaled seven stolen bases.
“It’s a challenge so early in the season with the weather being so cold, but I like the way our guys are competing,” Staude said.
Burlington wraps up its two-game series with the Comets Thursday.
Klein tames Elks
Morgan Klein is following in the footsteps of her older sister Josie quite nicely.
Morgan fired a three-hit shutout and smashed a home run, kind of like how her former All-Area player of the year sibling used to do it, and the Burlington softball girls shut out Elkhorn, 3-0, Tuesday in the Demons’ home opener.
Morgan smashed a solo home run in the third inning, and Gracie Peterson scored on a Bridi Allen sacrifice fly during a two-run third inning, and it was all Morgan Klein needed, as she struck out six and didn’t walk a batter.
“The girls played a great game tonight for their home opener,” said head coach Val Auseth. “Defense and strong pitching were key to this win.”
Burlington totaled three hits, as Morgan Klein went 2-for-2 and added a double, and Allen started the scoring in the first with an RBI double.
Auseth was impressed by Klein’s pitching.
“Klein’s success on the mound comes from her speed and ball movement,” Auseth said.
The Demons traveled to Delavan Thursday.
Indian Trail 3, Burlington baseball 2
The Demons seemed well on their way to a season-opening 2-0 shutout Monday night in Kenosha.
And then the seventh inning happened.
Degroot got in a bases-loaded jam, and then he surrendered three straight walks as the Hawks literally walked off to win.
Staude came out for a meeting at the mound with the game tied, then decided to stick with Degroot, who didn’t allow a hit in 2-1/3 innings.
Turzenski started and fired four hitless frames with nine strikeouts and a walk.
Palmquist provided a two-run single, and Peterson added the other hit.
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