2008 FRESHMAN HIGHLIGHTS

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FRESHMEN MOVE TO 10-2 WITH DOUBLEHEADER WINS

Believe it or not, it was a nail-biter early on as the freshman Griffins opened up the CBC Tournament against Althoff on Tuesday. The Crusaders scored three early runs to take the lead, while the Griffs were able to collect just three hits through the opening three frames. The bats came alive in the fourth, though, as run-scoring hits from Dave Campbell and Clayton Pfeiffer helped the frosh knot the game at three. The Griffins were able to tack on three more in the sixth, as Andy Baker's leadoff single got things going and Jake Rule's two-run base hit put Vianney up 6-3. Then the floodgates opened. The first twelve batters for the Griffins in the seventh inning reached base, and a close game turned into a laugher. The Griffins sent 18 men to the plate and scored 13 runs in the seventh, highlighted by Campbell's two-run double and Dominic Ruggeri's two-run single. The Griffins ended up with a 19-3 victory, and the boatload of run support helped Rule pick up the win in relief of Ryan Enright. The hitting stars were abundant: Pfeiffer and Campbell each had three hits; Rule, Zach Knese, and Sam Haseltine chipped in two hits apiece; Pfeiffer, Ruggeri, Rule, Campbell, and Brandon Schlichtig each had multiple RBIs; and Baker and Matt Beckerle both scored three runs. With the bats on fire, the boys were eager to come right back out 15 minutes later and take on CBC in the semi-finals. The Cadets scored in the first on a sacrifice fly, but the Griffins answered right back in the second. Dave Campbell, Zach Knese, and Andy Baker all singled, stole a base, and scored, giving the Griffs a 3-1 lead. A CBC homerun inched the Cadets closer in the top of the third, but Vianney was able to put the game away in the bottom half. The Campbell-Knese-Baker triumvirate once again stroked back-to-back-to-back singles. Sam Haseltine followed with the big hit: a ringing bases-clearing double to left, and he would score on an overthrow by the left-fielder. Ryan Enright's double started a four-run fourth, and the Griffins pushed across one more in the fifth and two in the sixth to ten-run the Cadets by a final score of 15-5. Campbell, Knese, and Jake Rule all finished with three hits for Vianney, while Enright, Baker, and Matt Beckerle each had two. Haseltine picked up his third win of the year with a yeoman's effort, maintaining Vianney's undefeated mark against MCC opponents. The Griffins (10-2) will play in the finals of the CBC Tourney on Saturday to close out the season.

FRESHMAN SPLIT DOUBLE HEADER AT PARKWAY CENTRAL

After numerous rainouts, the freshman Griffins finally took to the field for a long-awaited Saturday doubleheader at Parkway Central. In the first game, Brian Julius toed the rubber for a matchup against the host Colts. Julius pitched another outstanding ballgame, extricating himself from a first-inning jam allowing only two runs (one earned) and shutting down the Colts through the next five innings. The Griffin offense was able to muster three runs in the third inning with the benefit of just one hit (their only hit of the game). The Griffs took a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh, but Parkway Central took advantage of some control issues and shaky Griffin defense to load the bases with two outs. Jake Rule induced a jam-shot humpback liner into shallow left center, and Zach Knese came within an inch of making an incredible game-saving full-extension diving catch. But it was not to be, as the ground caused a fumble and two runners came home to give the Colts a 4-3 win. The second game featured much more offense, as the Griffins prevailed over Parkway West in a 13-12 slugfest. The Griffins put up nine runs in the first two innings to take a commanding lead, but the Longhorns chipped away throughout the game. Dave Campbell was able to induce a groundout with the tying run on base in the top of the seventh to preserve the victory for Knese. Andy Baker went 3-3 with three RBIs and fell a home run short of the cycle to lead the offense. Rule went 2-3 with three runs scored, Tom Lartonoix drove in three in going 2-4, and Blake Gilmore chipped in two hits and two RBIs for Vianney, who moved to 8-2 on the day with the split.

FRESHMAN TEAM REMAINS UNDEFEATED IN CONFERENCE

The freshman Griffins traveled to Desmet on a cold and windy Thursday afternoon for their fourth conference game of the season. Both teams were held in check early, but the Griffin bats were able to break through in the third. Andy Baker's leadoff single was followed up by a single from Dave Campbell. Clayton Pfeiffer put down a perfect bunt and reached first to load the bases. After a Desmet error and a wild pitch brought in two, Jake Rule and Sam Haseltine both ripped RBI singles to put the Griffins up by four. Desmet got one back with three singles in the bottom half, but that was only a blip on the radar screen for Haseltine, who dominated on the mound once again. Haseltine retired the last ten batters he faced en route to another outstanding performance (6 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 5K). Zach Knese brought home some insurance in the fifth with a ringing RBI triple, and he would later score on Pete Narzinski's RBI groundout. With the 7-2 victory, Vianney moved to 7-1 on the season and 4-0 in conference. Rule led the way at the plate with a 3-4 day, while Campbell, Baker, and Knese each had a pair of hits.

PITCHING GEM EARNS GRIFFINS WIN

Offense was at a premium at SLUH on Friday afternoon as the freshman Griffins took on the Junior Bills in a conference tilt. Things looked promising for the Griffs out of the gate, as the first two batters walked. But a sharp grounder turned into a double play and killed the Griffin rally. Sam Haseltine took the mound for Griffs in the bottom half, and he was absolutely lights out. He struck out the first three batters he faced and didn't allow a hit until the fourth inning. The Griffin offense broke through in the third. Brandon Schlichtig led off with a single to right, the Griffins' only hit of the day. Clayton Pfeiffer was hit by a pitch and Ryan Enright walked to load the bases. After Schlichtig was forced at home, two wild pitches enabled Pfeiffer and Enright to score. Haseltine made the two-run lead hold up, as he dominated the SLUH offense throughout the game with the help of several stellar defensive plays--Pfeiffer and Enright both made diving stabs to their left, Jake Rule came up with a Jeter-esque play in the hole at short, and Zach Knese tracked down a liner in the right centerfield gap. A single and a walk in the bottom of the seventh put some pressure on the Griffs, but Haseltine struck out SLUH's cleanup hitter and induced a fly to right to end the ballgame. Haseltine's gem (complete game shutout two-hitter with seven strikeouts) moved the Griffs to 6-1 on the year.

BIG INNINGS LEAD TO WIN OVER CHAMINADE

Brian Julius took the hill Wednesday for the freshman Griffins as they hit the road to battle conference foe Chaminade. Julius picked up his second win of the year, scattering four hits over 4 2/3 innings and allowing only one run in shutting down the Flyer bats. The Griffin offense strung together several nice rallies and ultimately tallied ten runs for a 10-3 victory. Jake Rule and Dave Campbell each went 2-3, while Matt Beckerle's 2-4 day included a big two-run double in the fifth. Vianney improved to 5-1 with the win.

GRIFFINS SPLIT DOUBLE HEADER IN STE. GENEVIEVE

Monday's double-header action in Ste. Genevieve resulted in a split for the freshman Griffins, who lost to Valle and beat Ste. Gen. In the opener, the Valle Warriors powered their way to a resounding 11-3 win. Despite putting 17 runners on base, the Griffins stranded 14, including ending two innings with the bases loaded. Pete Narzinski and Brandon Schlichtig had two hits apiece as the only Griffins to hit safely in the ballgame. The nightcap turned out to be more successful for the Griffins, who came away with a 9-6 victory over the Dragons. After some early control problems, Matt Beckerle righted the ship to pick up the win. Schlichtig had two more hits in game two, including a two-run double to get the Griffs on the board early. Tom Lartonoix contributed both at the plate (2-3 with an RBI) and behind the plate (a nice block of the plate on an attempted double-steal and a pick-off of a runner at third to end the ballgame). With the split, Vianney moved to 4-1 on the season.

ROUT OF CBC KEEPS FRESHMEN UNDEFEATED

Cadet Park was the site of a Cadet pasting on Tuesday afternoon, as the freshman Griffins put it on CBC in blustery conditions. With the wind howling out to right, the Griffins jumped out of the box with five runs in the first. That would be more than enough, as Ryan Enright and Brian Julius dominated on the hill in spite of the wind. Triples by Enright and Sam Haseltine in the third brought home another run for the Griffs. A handful of singles allowed the Griffs to bat around and score four in the fourth. And in the fifth-inning gloaming, the Griffins put six more runs on the board, highlighted by seven consecutive hits and Zach Knese's inside-the-park home run. Altogether, the Griffs pounded out 15 hits en route to a 16-2 victory as they moved to 3-0 on the young season.

GRIFFINS DROP GIBAULT - MOVE TO 2-0

The freshman Griffins brought their hitting shoes to Richard Wosman Field on Wednesday, as they dispatched the Gibault Hawks by a final score of 12-4. The offensive outburst helped the Griffs overcome some early control issues on the mound, which enabled Gibault to take an early 3-0 lead. But eight singles in the first two innings started the hit parade, and the Griffins put seven runs of their own on the board. A four-spot in the fourth put the game out of reach, and the Griffs cruised behind Sam Haseltine and Greg Barnes in the late innings. Tom Lartonoix and Zach Knese each had three hits to pace the offense, while Dave Campbell joined Haseltine and Knese as 3-RBI men on the afternoon. Brian Julius picked up the win for Vianney (2-0).

FRESHMEN WIN OPENER

After 40 days and 40 nights of nothing but rain, practice, and postponements, the skies finally cleared long enough on Wednesday for the freshman Griffins to make their high school debut at a beautiful but soggy Richard Wosman Field. Jake Rule took the hill for the Griffs and dominated the Mehlville Panthers from the start, recording his first four outs with strikeouts looking. The Griffins were held in check early as well, though, but they finally broke through with four runs in the third. Clayton Pfeiffer's RBI groundout put the Griffins on top. The big hit came later in the inning, as Zach Knese pulled a two-run triple into the right centerfield gap. Mehlville battled back and pulled to within one run late, but Pete Narzinski drove in some insurance with a big sixth-inning RBI double, and Ryan Enright came on to close the game out in the seventh. The Griffs ended up winning the opener by a final score of 6-3.