LANSING — Monday’s doubleheader at Cooley Law School Stadium was meant as a reward for Cleary University baseball players.
Instead, it was what Cleary coach Karl Kling called “a microcosm” of the Cougars’ season, and it wasn’t all positive.
The Cougars (9-16) fell to Division II Davenport University 14-5 in the opener, thanks in no small part to eight walks and six hit batters by the Cleary pitching staff.
Click here for the first seven innings of the Davenport game!
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In the second game, outfield errors loomed large in a 7-6 loss to Concordia that included a four-run Cleary rally that just fell short in the bottom of the ninth.
Click here for the archived broadcast of the Concordia-Cleary game!
“We’re right there, but we don’t get that final hit,” Kling said. “I think we can still put together a 25-30 win season if they come together. But we need consistency. We’re consistently inconsistent, and it’s very frustrating.”
Monday’s loss to Concordia marked the 15th game decided by one or two runs this season. in those games, the Cougars are 5-10.
“We’re in a lot of the games, but it’s frustrating because in those situations it’s always the little things that haunt you,” Kling said. “You can’t make one play and not make any other play, and you can’t have one good at-bat.”
In the first game, Kling used 11 pitchers in what proved to be trial by fire and litmus test.
“We weren’t expecting them to be perfect,” he said. “It was the walks. When you’re going up against a team like that, you’ve got to throw some strikes and you can’t be afraid to throw strikes. It’s a killer for your defense and mentality when you walk people. Then everyone is on their heels.
“When Central is going to play us (a game scheduled for Wednesday), they’re going down several levels (in competition). We’re going against tougher competition. It’s good for them to get roughed up a little bit, because they know it’s not going to be easy.”
Cleary took the lead in the opener on a home run down the left field line by Daniel Garcia in the bottom of the first, and added two more in the second when Cole Gilmer scored on an error and Alexander Lopez scored on a balk to make it 3-0.
But the Panthers (15-11) scored five in the third on four walks (three with the bases loaded) two hit batters and two singles, and they were on their way.
In the second game, another area of concern, the outfield, came into play.
Cleary starter Irwing Guel was cruising until the sixth, allowing only two runs and walking none.
But Concordia rallied for five runs, three of them on Jacob Maas’ shot up the gap in right center that got past both Cleary outfielders for an inside-the-park home run.
A dropped fly ball at the warning track by left fielder Jordan Leyder in the ninth led to a meeting with Kling and the rest of the outfield after the game. Kling’s anger was clearly visible and, at times, audible.
“We have juniors and seniors that shouldn’t be making these mistakes,” Kling said. “We havea couple of guys playing really good defense who aren’t hitting, and we have a couple playing poor defense but who are hitting. We have to find it from them or look at the younger guys, and it might be time to look at the younger guys.”
The results weren’t what they were looking for, but the Cougars did appreciate the opportunity to play at Cooley Law School Field, the home of the Lansing Lugnuts.
“The field is awesome,” said catcher James Edwards, who was 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs. “The surface was great. The people were great. It was a good time today.”
Edwards, a Howell grad, played against fellow ex-Highlanders Ben Balgaard and Justin Mercer in the Concordia game. Balgaard, a second baseman, was 1-for-4 with a stolen base, while Mercer played third and went 1-for-3. Hartland grad R.J. Bortle played right field and was 0-for-1.
