Not even a week out of high school, CJ Goodwald earns he first victory in a 12-1 drubbing of the Larks.

 

The Larks only put up one threat and that came in the third inning on a fluke play. With one out and a runner on first, the Lark’s Ryan Schaust lifted a ball to shallow right field. The Devil’s right fielder Craig Hawkinson appeared to have made a diving catch. The runner thinking that Craig made the catch, scrambled back to first as Craig fired the ball back to the infield. The runner was eventually tagged out and the Devils thought the inning ended on a double play. But in a classic FUBAR ruling by the umpire, said Craig had not made a catch and even though Craig’s throw to first beat the batter to the base because he had stopped running, was ruled safe. As the Devils were running off the field, the batter took second because the ump had not called time as the Devil’s John Timpe and the ump discussed the play. The Lark’s next batter hit a double to score the only run of the game for Loretto.

 

CJ looked like a veteran ball player in his prime as he kept the Larks off balance all game with a mix of good fastballs and off speed pitches. The Larks tried their best to rattle CJ when runners were on base. In the seventh, with two outs and a runner on first, the Larks were yelling balk as he threw over to first. CJ smiled and shook his head as the Larks started to chirp louder. CJ responded by striking out the batter, hopped off the mound and tipped his cap as he sprinted back to the dugout. For the game, CJ gave up only four hits over eight innings on 128 pitches. CJ dominated the bottom part of the Larks order, striking out six batters in nine plate appearances. Craig Hawkinson finished off the game striking out two of the four batters he faced.

 

The Diamond Devils fans had to wait until the fifth inning for the team to score their first run. With one out the Devil’s catcher Dan Boisclair would get his second broken bat single of the game. Dan would move to second after KC Johnson was hit by a pitch. Dan scored and KC moved to third on a single by Adam Gregg. KC scored the winning run and Adam moved to third on a single by Andrew Engebretson. Adam scored on an error by the Lark’s shortstop.

 

The Devils scored two more runs in the seventh. Adam Gregg reached base on a fielder’s choice and would score on an Engebretson double. Enge scored on a single by Joe Wood.

 

In the eighth inning the Devils scored three more times as Craig Hawkinson led off the eighth with a single. Dan Boisclair’s sacrificed bunt moved Craig to second. Craig came around to score on a Matt Goodwald single. KC Johnson walked in the next at bat putting runners at first and second. Adam Gregg moved Matt to third but KC was out at second on a shortstop to second put out. A pitch by the Lark’s pitcher scored Matt and allowed Adam to take second. Adam scored on another Andrew Engebretson double.

 

The Devils put the nails in the coffin in the ninth inning. Matt Duenwald started off the inning with his second single of the game. Dan Boisclair reached first on an error by the shortstop. Pinch hitter, Mike Rippberger after falling behind in the count 1 ball and two strikes drew a walk to load the bases. Two pitches latter, KC Johnson got his first hit of the game by hitting a grand slam over the left field fence. Game over.