Weinert Leads Braves Offensive Outburst In Sweep

GLADSTONE---Lucas Weinert hit his first home run and had four other hits to lead the Gladstone Braves to a pair of wins, 11-1 and 13-3, over the mistake-prone Marquette Redmen Thursday evening at Don Olsen Field in Gladstone.

Marquette made five errors in the first game and four more in the nightcap.

The Redmen also had a tough time when they got men on base, especially in the first game, when Braves pitcher Nick Trudeau picked three runners off of base in the first four innings.

In the opener, Gladstone scored eight runs in the third inning to turn a 3-0 game into an 11-0 blowout. Braeden Lamberg had a two-run single, while Hunter Botruff and Daniel Martin also had RBI hits. And Braves senior Jack Stephenson returned to the line-up after missing two weeks with a collapased lung.

Stephenson smacked a two-run single during that Braves rally.

"I've been sitting on my ass the whole time," Stephenson said. "I couldn't scream, yell, or anything. They were afraid it (collapsed lung) would get worse, so I just hit sit around and do nothing. I was excited to be back. Sitting for two weeks is not fun at all. I just wanted to get out there. It felt great. You know when you've hit a good shot."

Marquette pitcher Garrett Finkbeiner was the tough-luck loser, with five errors behind him in the 2 1/3 innings that he pitched. He also struggled with the umpire's strike zone, and the Braves took full advantage with strong hitting throughout the line-up.

For the Braves, Trudeau pitched well, scattering eight hits and two walks in five innings of work. The only run against him was an unearned run.

In the second game, A.J. Lundberg got the start, and he struggled in the first inning, giving up two runs on two hits and two walks.

Gladstone got the two runs back in the bottom of the inning, and then Weinert clubbed his home run in the third inning. Marquette had a chance to take the lead in the fourth inning when Lundberg walked two batters and gave up a single to Finkbeiner.

But with the bases loaded, Lundberg got Jakob Peterson to strike out, ending the threat.

And the Braves went to work against Marquette pitcher Alec Gadzinski in the bottom of the fourth, scoring six runs on five hits, including another long shot by Weinert that bounced off of the left field fence. Seymour had another run-scoring hit during that rally, as did Lamberg and Hunter Botruff. Martin added a triple to bring home a run.

"It felt great off the bat," Weinert said of the home run ball. "I hit it, and I didn't really watch it, so I didn't see it go over the fence or anything. I was just running around, and I heard everyone yelling. I just knew it was out."

And the shot that hit the fence?

"That one felt pretty good, too," Weinert said. "It was a high fly and I thought it flew a little higher, but it wasn't as deep. I didn't watch that one, either."

Lundberg ended up allowing two runs on four hits and four walks, settling down nicely after that first inning. He was replaced on the mound by rookie Cooper Cavadeas, and Cavadeas threw the final two innings, allowing one run on four hits.

Marquette (5-7) also used two pitchers in the nightcap, with Tyler Delmont relieving Gadzinksi in the fifth inning. Gadzinski was charged with nine runs on eight hits, and Delmont worked the final 1 2/3 innings, charged with four runs (two earned).

Gladstone (11-3) travels to Peshtigo, Wis., for a single game Friday afternoon at 5:30 Eastern. The game will be broadcast on WCHT-AM (NewsTalk 600).

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos taken by Brenda Crow and videos taken by Laura Lamberg. You can also click the AUDIO buttons to hear interviews with Trudeau, Stephenson, Weinert, and Coach Don Lauscher...along with radio replays.