APPLETON, Wis.---There's no school on Saturdays, but the Gladstone High School baseball team learned some painful lessons as they faced the Appleton North Lightning in a doubleheader Saturday afternoon in Wisconsin.
Fielding a roster with 14 freshmen and sophomores, the Braves were overwhelmed by a veteran Appleton North baseball team in both games, 9-1 and 16-0.
"It (inexperience) showed," Gladstone Manager Don Lauscher said. "We've got to find our team. With all the youngsters, we've got to find pitching, we've got to find position players. We've got to get outside, that's the big thing."
Indeed, the Braves have not been able to hold a practice outside of the confines of the high school gym because of the weather conditions.
In fact, this doubleheader was supposed to be played at Don Olsen Field, but the Gladstone field was unplayable, forcing the switch south to Appleton.
"We need to figure out who's going where (defensively), who's the cut-off in left, who's the cut-off in right," Lauscher said. "Those are the simple things that we haven't been able to to do in the gym. But, ultimately, we've got to get bigger, stronger. And we will."
Gladstone clearly missed the leadership, and baseball talent, of departed seniors Sam Pouliot, Christian Tackman, Tommy Bailey, and Christian Groleau.
In Saturday's opener, Gladstone took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Hunter Garling singled, stole second, and scored on a single by Ben Schwalbach. But the Lightning scored four runs in the third inning and five more in the fifth to take control.
Garling threw four innings and took the loss, allowing four runs on three hits and a walk. Schwalbach did not retire any of the three men he faced in relief, and they all scored against the Braves' third pitcher, Brandon Cooper.
Cooper threw two innings, allowing three hits and two runs (plus allowing Schwalbach's three runners to score).
The second game was a whitewash from the beginning as Elliot Danhoff got the start. He pitched the first inning and threw to three batters in the second befofre being pulled.
Danhoff was charged with ten runs (six earned) on seven hits and two walks.
Clay Cole came in and threw 1 2/3 innings, allowing six runs on six hits and three walks. Braeden Lamberg pitched the final 1 1/3 innings, allowing no runs on one hit.
In the first game, Gladstone had six baserunners.
Three of them were on hit-battsmen (Tyson Seymour twice and Schwalbach), and hits by Garling, Schwalbach, and Jake Peterson.
In the second game, which ended on the mercy rule in the fifth inning, the Braves also had six baserunners: Garling had a single and a walk, Cooper had a singel and a walk, Hunter Botruff and a single, and Jack Stephenson drew a late-inning walk.
Appleton North had four players in its line-up who will play college baseball in the near future: shortstop Alex Henwood (Nebraska), catcher Tyce Wheeler (UW-Oshkosh), infielder Taylor Borchers (Gonzaga), and outfielder Connor Wollersheim (Kent State).
"This was a huge learning curve," Lauscher said. "But we will be better. I guarantee you that."
Gladstone will be on the road again next weekend, this time in Lower Michigan.
The Braves will play a doubleheader in Cadillac on Friday against the Vikings, and then they will play twice on Saturday in Kingsley against the Stags. Game time on Friday is 4:00, and then on Saturday, the doubleheader starts at 11:00 a.m.
All four games will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com. The only exception is the first hour of the Saturday game, which will be broadcast only on-line before the radio broadcast joins at 12:00 noon.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos taken on Saturday by Lori Jurek.
Fielding a roster with 14 freshmen and sophomores, the Braves were overwhelmed by a veteran Appleton North baseball team in both games, 9-1 and 16-0.
Indeed, the Braves have not been able to hold a practice outside of the confines of the high school gym because of the weather conditions.
In fact, this doubleheader was supposed to be played at Don Olsen Field, but the Gladstone field was unplayable, forcing the switch south to Appleton.
"We need to figure out who's going where (defensively), who's the cut-off in left, who's the cut-off in right," Lauscher said. "Those are the simple things that we haven't been able to to do in the gym. But, ultimately, we've got to get bigger, stronger. And we will."
Gladstone clearly missed the leadership, and baseball talent, of departed seniors Sam Pouliot, Christian Tackman, Tommy Bailey, and Christian Groleau.
In Saturday's opener, Gladstone took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Hunter Garling singled, stole second, and scored on a single by Ben Schwalbach. But the Lightning scored four runs in the third inning and five more in the fifth to take control.
Cooper threw two innings, allowing three hits and two runs (plus allowing Schwalbach's three runners to score).
The second game was a whitewash from the beginning as Elliot Danhoff got the start. He pitched the first inning and threw to three batters in the second befofre being pulled.
Danhoff was charged with ten runs (six earned) on seven hits and two walks.
Clay Cole came in and threw 1 2/3 innings, allowing six runs on six hits and three walks. Braeden Lamberg pitched the final 1 1/3 innings, allowing no runs on one hit.
In the first game, Gladstone had six baserunners.
Three of them were on hit-battsmen (Tyson Seymour twice and Schwalbach), and hits by Garling, Schwalbach, and Jake Peterson.
Appleton North had four players in its line-up who will play college baseball in the near future: shortstop Alex Henwood (Nebraska), catcher Tyce Wheeler (UW-Oshkosh), infielder Taylor Borchers (Gonzaga), and outfielder Connor Wollersheim (Kent State).
"This was a huge learning curve," Lauscher said. "But we will be better. I guarantee you that."
Gladstone will be on the road again next weekend, this time in Lower Michigan.
The Braves will play a doubleheader in Cadillac on Friday against the Vikings, and then they will play twice on Saturday in Kingsley against the Stags. Game time on Friday is 4:00, and then on Saturday, the doubleheader starts at 11:00 a.m.
All four games will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com. The only exception is the first hour of the Saturday game, which will be broadcast only on-line before the radio broadcast joins at 12:00 noon.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos taken on Saturday by Lori Jurek.
