Baseball Takes Advantage of Saints’ Miscues, Dominate and Start Season 4-0

There was a time, not so long ago, when the thought of taking on St. Ray’s on the baseball diamond was not such a comfortable thought. It wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to say that from probably the late 1970’s through the beginning of the first decade of the 21st century, the Saints were as strong a baseball program as any in the state, one of the powers in the old Blackstone Valley Division and routinely making runs at the state title.

Times have, unfortunately, changed for the Saints, mostly due to economic factors. While they remain competitive in some sports, their baseball program has suffered tremendously. The Saints arrived at Pepin Field in the unenviable position of taking on the Hawks’ fearsome a lineup only two days after our guys seemingly launched their season in the right direction with a huge road win at archrival LaSalle. Looking to capitalize on the efficient performance of the entire team against the Maroon – and with The Network up in the booth for the live broadcast - one would think that they wouldn’t really need another team’s blunders to win.

After spotting the Saints a 1-0 lead in the first inning - a run that resulted from a couple of hits, a dropped fly ball, and a wild pitch from starter Mike Webb (who struck out the side despite surrendering the run) - the Hawks threatened in the bottom of the first but didn’t score. Webb took care of the Saints in the 2nd, and then the Hawks’ bats came alive at the same time that the Saints’ defense seemed to collectively decide to throw the ball all over the baseball field.

The Hawks scored six runs in the 2nd, seven runs in the 3rd, and one in the 4th to win 14-2 in a game that was called after 4 1/2 innings due to the ten-run mercy rule. Both the middle and bottom of the Hawks’ order continued to ‘move the line along’ as they were up 6-1 by the end of the second inning and 13-1 by the end of the third. Webb found his groove and continued to mow down the Saints, being lifted for what would prove to the final half-inning of the game, the top of the fifth.

John Willette and Brendan Conley continued to showcase their developing double play chemistry in the middle of the diamond, as the duo turned another hitch-and-throw on a play when the Saints sent the runner on first base. That play can be see right here:

Next up, the Hawks take on Lincoln at home, and The Network will be up in the booth with the wire-to-wire live broadcast.