Monsignor Scanlan wants this to be the last game they’ll lose for the rest of the season, and certainly the last game that they give this sort of effort.
The reigning CHSAA Class A baseball champions were held to just two hits in just their second loss of the season, 8-1, to LaSalle at home on May 7. In addition to their off day at the plate, the Crusaders committed five errors to let the game get away in the fifth and sixth innings.
“I’m disappointed, we should’ve been mentally prepared,” Scanlan coach Edwin Montano said. “I don’t know what happened, but it’s not going to happen again.”
Scanlan could not get it going with the bats, or its legs, either. The Crusaders got on the board in the second when Tyler Grier singled and an errant throw to first on the play allowed the run to score to make it 2-1. It was tough for Scanlan to get anything going after that thank to three base-running mistakes.
“We’ve got to make the plays. We’re going to force the catcher to throw, keep running. We’re a running team, and you’re not going to change it,” Montano said. “It just wasn’t in the cards today.
Starter Devon Marrero gave up two runs in the second, but with not much help from his defense. The first run scored from third after the ball away on an attempted run down of the runner at first on a pick-off, while other misplay brought home the second run to make it 4-1.
The Crusaders got a break to get out of the inning with the bases loaded after Marrero dropped an infield fly rule, which allowed the runner at first base to be doubled off.
In the fifth, however, the game got away. Marrero did not record an out in the frame, giving up four runs before being pulled with the score 6-1. Antonio Escano came on in relief to end the threat without any further damage.
Escano then gave up two runs in the sixth. After getting a sacrifice fly in the next frame a misplayed throw home allowed a second run to score on the play. In each inning in which they allowed LaSalle (5-4) to score, Scanlan committed an error.
“The errors [was] what killed us,” Escano said. “Defense wins games, and we didn’t come to play defense. I don’t know what happened today, we just didn’t come prepared to play.”
LaSalle starter Chris Pimente was on point for the Cardinals after getting touched up his previous outing against Scanlan. He went the distance and struck out 13, eight looking.
With the loss, Scanlan (5-2) squandered a chance to challenge undefeated Nazareth for first place this week, so their match-up against the team they beat in the title game last year will now be about maintaining second place and a bye.
“Nobody was on their game, unfocused,” Escano said, “We’re going to try to make this game our last loss.”
