2004 and 2006 STATE CHAMPIONS
 
Shutout Win Over SLUH Earns Griffins MCC Title
Behind flawless defense and the combined shutout efforts of four different Griffin pitchers, Vianney earned the MCC Conference title in their final game of the season. Pitchers, Mike Bibas, Kevin Frigerio, Eric Ruehl, and Pat Amrhein all made three early inning runs hold up as the Griffins won, 3-0. The defense faced some tense moments in the bottom of the seventh as SLUH twice had the tying run in position but two long fly balls only teased the home crowd as Griffin outfielders were able to track and catch the threats. Bibas was the workhorse as he pitched six shutout innings before turning the ball over to his three senior counterparts in the last game of their high school careers. The boys made their appearances count as they corralled another Conference Title for Vianney. The Griffins finish the season 17-11.
 
Wild District Finale Leaves Griffins One Inning Short
In the district title game against Oakville on Wednesday, Vianney found themselves on the wrong end of an 8-4 score heading into the seventh inning. Showing tremendous heart, the Griffins would not quit. Jesse Tierney sparked the rally with a 2 run homer to cut the lead in half. John Hogan, Jordan May, Steve Massie, Jake Schuchardt, Rob Hogenkamp, and Dalton Hewitt all reached base in consecutive at-bats following Tierney's homerun as the Griffins scored four more runs to take a 10-8 lead with Oakville batting in the bottom of the seventh. The high-powered Tiger offense was not going to go down with a fight as Oakville scored two-runs in the bottom of the seventh. Left fielder Steve Massie threw out the game winning run at the plate to send the game into extra frames. The Griffin offense responeded to the challenge in the top of the 8th and chipped away for two runs to take a 12-10 lead. Again, Oakville would not go away. The Tigers pieced together a single, a sacrifice, and a one-out double to make the score 12-11. Another single tied the score at 12-12. With one out, the Tigers lofted a fly ball to right to score the game winner on a sacrifice fly. Vianney falls to 16-11 on the season with one make-up game vs. SLUH still to be re-scheduled. A victory over the Jr. Bills would give the Griffins a share of the MCC championship. [stltoday.com feature]
 
Griffins Advance To District Finals With Win Over Lindbergh
The varsity baseball team advanced to the finals of the district baseball tournament for the fifth year in a row with a 5-0 shutout of Lindbergh on Tuesday at Vianney. The Griffins did all of their damage in the bottom of fourth as three Lindbergh throwing errors accounted for the Vianney tallies. Steve Massie, Jake Schuchardt, and Rob Hogenkamp all put the pressure on the Lindbergh defense in the fifth and Dalton Hewitt added a big two out single to drive in the final run of the inning. Mike Bibas was strong on the hill as he threw a complete game shutout. The Griffins will host Oakville in the district finals on Wednesday at Vianney at 4:15
 
Seven Games In Eight Days Takes Toll On Griffs
Seven games in eight days is more than a challenge, its an outright test of will. The Griffins managed to come away with 4 wins, but the loss to St. Mary's was a bitter pill to swallow, having beaten the Dragons earlier in the year. The Griffins never got their bats going, and fielding was a bit of a problem as St. Mary's broke the game open with a four run third inning and never looked back on the way to a 5-0 win. The boys will have a chance to gain a measure of revenge, as they may meet the Dragons again in district play.
 
Griffins Beat #6 Oakville Under The Lights
The Griffins took the big stage against the #6 ranked Oakville Tigers at Ballwin Athletic Association. The game between two of the area's top teams did not disappoint as they battled into the late innings before the Griffins were able to rally and win the game 5-3. These two teams may meet again in a game that counts for a bit more, the District 3 championship. The Griffins and Tigers are again paired in the same district. Before the home squad can worry about that, they must deal with rival St. Mary's and MCC foes Chaminade, and SLUH prior to the start of District play. [stltoday.com feature]
 
Heart Breaker Goes To CBC By 3-2 Score
Just over a month ago in the conference opener, the Vianney Griffins snagged a big early season win over the C.B.C. Cadets when the winning run crossed the plate on a wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh. That victory over C.B.C. sparked Vianney to a 3-1 start through the first round of conference play. On Tuesday night, the Cadets looked to avenge that defeat at Ballwin Athletic Association. Early on, it looked like the Griffins had control of the game thanks to a 2 RBI single by Jesse Tierney in the third. The Griffins led 2-0 until the bottom of the sixth when C.B.C. tied the score. Vianney went down in order in the top of the seventh and CBC looked to snatch the victory. With the bases loaded and one out, a Griffin wild pitch allowed the winning run to score and C.B.C. scored a big conference win the same fashion as the Griffins conference opening win.
 
Griffins Pound Summit In 5 Innings - 18-3
The Vianney baseball team looked prepared for the stretch run as they scored 5 first inning runs against a shaky Summit defense. The Griffins tacked on 4 runs in the second to take a 9-1 lead. The offense was not done yet as a Dalton Hewitt three run homer was highlighted a 4 run third. For good measure, Vianney added 5 runs in the fourth inning to finish their scoring. Pat Amhrein was strong for 3 innings and picked up the win. Josh Schnable and Alex Dickmann finished out the game.
Griffins Take Second in Red Wier Classic in Columbia
Four games in four days is a daunting task for any high school pitching staff and that was the challenge the Griffins faced in the Red Weir Classic hosted by Hickman High School and Rock Bridge High School in Columbia this week-end. The Griffins opened up the tournament against host Rock Bridge. After an hour rain delay, Vianney found themselves on the wrong end of a 5-1 score at the end of 2 innings. The offense kept plugging away and with the help of some shaky Bruin defense, Vianney came back to win the game 12-9. Pat Amrhein struck out the final batter of the game with the bases loaded to preserve the victory.

In the night cap on Friday, the Griffin's took the field at 9:00 p.m. for a match-up with Excelsior Springs out of Kansas City. Excelsior Springs jumped out to a 4-1 lead and looked to be in complete control as the Griffin hitters were having a tough time adjusting to a large strike zone. As the game progressed, the offense came to life and the Griffins picked up a 6-4 come from behind victory to clinch the championship of their respective pool.

On Saturday morning, with a spot guaranteed in the championship, Vianney came out flat against an upstart Camdenton squad. Heading into the bottom of the 7th, the Griffins were down 7-3 but they were positioned to make a run at Camdenton. The offense chipped away at the lead and Jake Schuchardt delivered a 2 out single which drove home the game winning run as Vianney improve to 3-0 in tournament.

In the championship game against a good Hickman team, the Griffins again found themselves down before they had their first at bat. Hickman reached the Griffins for 3 runs in the top of the first. Vianney answered with three of their own to tie the game. With pitching at a shortage, the Kewpies continued to attack when at the plate and they scored 2 more runs in the second. From there, defense and pitching set the stage and Hickman defeated Vianney 5-3 as the Griffins had runners in scoring position but could not drive them home.

Current record for Vianney is 12-8.
 
Vianney Wins With Character At DeSmet
Following a tough trip to Ste. Gen, the Griffins returned to MCC action on Tuesday night with a conference game vs. the DeSmet Spartans. The Griffins jumped out to a 5-1 lead thanks to a Jesse Tierney 3-run homer and appeared to have the game in hand. The Spartans would not go quietly as a couple of costly errors in the bottom of the third opened up the flood gates and DeSmet scored 6 runs of their own. The Spartans continued to pile on and heading into the 5th inning, the Griffins were down by the score of 10-5. The Griffins showed some heart and chipped away with two runs in the fifth and three runs in the sixth to tie the game. In the top of the seventh, Ryan McAnany drove home the game winning run to give Kevin Frigerio the victory in an 11-10 contest. Mike Carlin picked up the save with a 2 pitch outing to close the game.
 
Ste. Genevieve Is Hostile Territory To Griffins
The varsity baseball team lost to Ste. Gen High School 9-2 in a makeup game on Monday in Ste. Gen. The Griffins jumped out to a 1-0 lead with 3 first inning hits but that was the highlight of the game as the defense struggled throughout the game. In the nightcap, Vianney fell behind Valle High early and could not recover. The Griffins lost 7-0 as the offense could not get on track.
 
Griffins Beat #1 Ranked Francis Howell 5-4
The Vianney baseball team faced its second undefeated opponent in three days as the #1 ranked team in the state, the Francis Howell Vikings brought their 12-0 record to the home of the Griffins.They would leave with a stinging defeat, as the Griffs battled out a 5-4 win in thrilling fashion. The boys had to rally twice to win the game, trailing early 3-0 and then tied at four going into the bottom of the sixth. A Steve Massey double started things out. He was moved to third on a fielders choice, sliding under the tag at the base. Rob Hogenkamp executed a popped up bunt that the Viking catcher snagged with a spectacular effort. The runner at first sprang for second, and the Howell catcher made a critical error as he attempted to throw the runner out. With the ball on the way to second, Massey broke for home, sliding under a perfect throw at the plate. That run would hold up as Pat Amrhein would retire the side for the Griffins most impressive win of the season. In his first start, Jake Schuchardt went 3 for 3. In addition to scoring the winning run, Steve Massey also made the catch of the day, a sliding catch in foul territory that took the wind out of a Howell rally.
[stats] [Stltoday.com feature]
 
SLUH Escapes With Seventh Inning Rally
The varsity baseball team dropped the first MCC game of the season with a 8-5 loss to SLUH at home. The game was an atypical affair as both teams struggled with their defense. The Griffins committed six errors in the game. As the game entered the seventh inning, it looked as if extra innings would be needed to decide who would sit alone at the top of the MCC at the season's half-way point, but the Jr. Bills loaded the bases with nobody out and cleared the bases with a double to break open the 5-5 tie. The Griffins managed two base runners in the bottom half of the inning but couldn't make up the difference. Next up is Francis Howell at home on Thursday followed by a double header at Ste. Genevieve on Friday.
[stats] 
 
Big Early Lead Pays Off As Griffins Move To 2-0 In MCC
After spotting the DeSmet Spartans a one run lead in the second inning, the Griffin bats erupted with the 2008 version of "Bieser Ball". Paced by 3 bunts in the bottom half of the second, the Griffins knocked in four runs and never looked back. Josh Schnable paced the offense with 2 doubles, Dalton Hewitt was 2-4 with 2 RBIs. John Hogan, Steve Massie, Ryan McAnany, and Jeff Schoor all chipped in a pair of hits each as the Griffins piled on to a 11-1 lead in the fifth inning. The margin was plenty for starter Kevin Frigerio who was dealing through 5 innings. DeSmet mounted a comeback in the 6th but the margin was too large as Vianney moves to 2-0 in conference play with a 11-6 victory. [stats]
 
5th Inning Slip Up Costs Griffins Victory In Illinois
In the first Border War battle between Illinois and Missoui, the feature game pitted two emerging rivals, Vianney and Edwardsville. The past two meetings of these area powers went to the Griffins but this year Edwardsville was able to turn the tables and capitalize on an error laden 5th inning to pull out a 4-1 win at GCS Ballpark, home of the Gateway Grizzlies. After four scoreless innings, it looked like a pitchers duel, but a couple of Griffin miscues and a tough upmire's call put the Tigers in control going into the top of the 7th. The Griffins would not go away, scoring a run and loading the bases before finally running out of time. The Griffins will take on the DeSmet Spartans Tuesday. [stats]
 
Griffins To Play Feature Game In First Ever "Border War'
Vianney's baseball team will compete in the first ever, Missouri - Illinois Border War on Saturday, April 5th at 6:00 against the Edwardsville Tigers. The Tigers finished the 2007 season as the #1 team in the metro area. The game will be played at GCS Ballpark, the home of the Gateway Grizzlies of the Frontier League. The Grizzlies are managed by Vianney alumnus, Phil Warren. The Border War will showcase a double header on Friday evening and a triple header on Saturday with the Griffins playing the feature game at 6:00.

St. Elizabeth's Hospital's Center for Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine (formerly Illini Sports Medicine), Papa John's Pizza and the Gateway Grizzlies are hosting 10 of the region's top teams including all 5 MCC members. The game will be broadcast on Prepcasts.com. [feature article]
 
Griffins Struggle On Day Two In Tennessee

In the second day of pool play in the Warrior Spring Classic, the Griffins struggled all night long dropping two games to Bartlett, TN and the host Riverdale Warriors.  In the opener, a defensive miscue, two well-placed bunts, and a timely hit were all that Bartlett, the #1 ranked team in Tennessee, needed as they scored three runs in the 2nd inning.  The Griffins managed to rally with the bases loaded in the 6th inning but could only push one run across.  The 3-1 defeat was Vianney's first loss of the season.  In the nightcap, Vianney fell to Riverdale 9-1 as the offense could not get on track and the Griffins pitching and defense could not keep the game close in the cold and wet weather.  Current record is 5-2.  Vianney wraps up pool play in the Warrior Spring Classic with a game Saturday vs. Oakland, TN.
 
Griffins Open Up Warrior Classic with a Victory
Following a 6 hour bus trip to Murfeesboro TN, the Griffins opened up the Warrior Spring Classic with an 8-3 victory over Battle Ground Academy.  Vianney jumped to a 4-0 lead in the second inning and added on another 4 runs in the fourth inning to support starter Eric Ruehl.  Ruehl went 5 innings before giving way to Alex Dickman.  Dickman escaped from a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the seventh to secure an 8-3 win for the Griffins.  Vianney plays two games on Friday night in their pool of the tournament.
 
March Madness Hits Baseball Diamond As Griffins Beat CBC
The varsity baseball team survived their own version of March Madness in the conference home opener vs. CBC.  The Griffins jumped out to a 3-0 lead with Mike Bibas cruising on the mound.  In the top of the fourth, a couple of defensive miscues allowed the Cadets to tie the game.  The Griffins loaded the bases in the seventh inning thanks to a Christian Slaznik infield singles and two bunt hits by Kevin Willner and Ryan McAnany.  With Jesse Tierney at the plate and one out, pinch-runner Jordan Armbruster scored the winning run on a wild pitch.  The win moves Vianney to 4-0 on the season and 1-0 in conference play.  Up next, the Griffins travel to Murfreesboro Tennessee for the Warrior Spring Classic hosted by Riverdale High School.
[stats]  [photos]
 
11-8 Win Over Mehlville Moves Griffins To Title Game
On a cold Saturday morning, the Griffin offense provided plenty of heat jumping out to a 10-0 lead behind starter Dan Rowles.  Rowles pitched no-hit ball for 3 innings as Vianney dominated Mehlville early in the game.  Dalton and Josh Hewitt provided key hits to spark the offense.  Mehlville did not quit and they scratched home a run in the top of the 5th inning to extend the game.  Things got interesting in the top of the 7th as Mehlville put the tying run at the plate in an 11-8 contest.  Mike Carlin secured the final out of the game to move the Griffins record to 3-0 on the season.
[stats]  [photos]
March 20, 2008
5th Inning Rally Drives Griffins To Round Two Win
While the field still showed the effects of over 6 inches of rain in 48 hours, the Griffins did not. They played 4 innings of even-up baseball with St. Mary's in the second round of the Lindbergh/Mehlville Tournament before erupting for 6 runs in the 5th. That six run outburst broke open a game tied at 6 each. The Griffins didn't allow a run from that point on as many of the guys rotated into the line up on a perfect March afternoon. [stats]   [photos]   [news feature]
 
Griffins Drop Fox 6 - 5 In Season Opener
The sounds of spring were in the air as the Griffins took the field for the opening game of the baseball season. Vianney opened the first round of the Lindbergh/Mehlville tournament with a nailbiter over visiting Fox High School. The Griffins took an early 6-3 lead, only to see the Warriors rally to 6-5 in the final inning. With bases loaded, Christian Slaznick got a game ending strikeout to seal the win. Eric Ruehl pitched six strong innings to earn the first win of the year. Josh Hewitt was stellar at the plate, going three for three. The Griffins will compete in pool play before moving on the the tournament championship rounds of the annual season opening tournament. [stats]