PORTSMOUTH – The Shawnee State baseball team defeated the St. Catharine Patriots Friday afternoon at Branch Rickey Park, 10-3. The Bears (28-24, 8-14) got a strong effort from the entire team as Cody Strayer set the tone, pitching his second complete game of the season.
With the complete game, Strayer (3-5) earned his third victory of the season, allowing three runs on 14 hits. Strayer also had five assists in the game, making great defensive plays throughout. Shawnee State has now won two straight Mid-South Conference games and will enter tomorrow's contest within grabs of a playoff spot.
The Patriots (35-17, 9-10) jumped on the Bears quickly with a run in the top of the second inning. St. Catharine scored one run on two hits giving them a 1-0 lead. However, Shawnee State answered with two runs of their own in the bottom of the third.
Ryan Queener (2-for-3) and Todd Queener (3-for-4) started the inning by reaching base. Senior Colin Keim (1-for-4) followed with a one-out RBI single to left-center field. The Bears then were able to take advantage of St. Catharine first-of-four errors of the evening, as Todd Queener scored to on a misplayed ground give the Bears a 2-1 lead.
It was a lead Shawnee State would never give back. After Strayer retired the side in the top of the fourth the Bears offense continued their offensive momentum. Shawnee State exploded for seven runs in the bottom half of the inning on six hits to take a 9-1 lead, marking the largest margin of the game.
After Dustin Bickmeyer (2-for-4) singled to start the inning, R. Queener followed with a doubled to deep right-center field. The inning also saw Jordan Maier (1-for-4) hit a two-out double to score Joe Henderson and Calvin Sluberski. Bickmeyer would follow with a double to right field to score Maier, helping the Bears gain an eight run advantage.
The Patriots fought back with a pair of runs to cut the deficit to 9-3 in the sixth inning. However, it was the closest they would get as Strayer was too much.
Leading 9-3 in the seventh, the dynamic duo of the Queener brothers once again started the top of the inning with a back-to-back singles. Tyler Bice reached on a bunt single, Keim hit into a fielder's choice to score R. Queener, pushing their lead to 10-3.
With a chance for his second complete game of the season, Strayer ran back out onto the mound for the top half of the ninth. The game ended when Strayer tossed his 138th pitch of the game in the winning effort.
Shawnee State and St. Catharine will be right back in action tomorrow in a doubleheader that is scheduled to begin at noon in the Bears regular season finale.
