Varsity Cougar Baseball Opens the Season with a Win!
On Friday, the Varsity Baseball Cougars opened up the season at home versus the Notre Dame Academy Irish. The Cougars have only had three days on the field in the first three weeks of baseball practice because of all the rain. We all woke up to a sunny Friday and once it was confirmed the field was playable, the team couldn’t wait.
With a 20mph wind gust throughout the contest, senior Shane Hendrickson took to the mound for the mighty Cougars. Shane has thrown some gems over his four year career with TCS but on this day one could argue it was his finest. In the top of the first, Shane struck out the first batter followed by a walk. The Irish two-hole hitter stole second and was on third after Hendrickson struck out the third batter. Added pressure with a man on third and Notre Dame’s cleanup hitter at the plate did not phase the crafty veteran, as his next strikeout victim watched a nasty two seamer cut through the strike zone.
In the bottom half of the first inning, the Cougars started right away. Shane led with a walk and stole both second and third. After a strikeout, 8th grader-Jack Stephens hit a sacrifice groundout to first base scoring his senior leader. The inning ended two batters later and the Cougars held an early 1-0 lead.
TCS played small ball for the rest of the contest. When walked were aggressive on the bases and scored on a couple wild pitches and two more sacrifices. By the bottom of the fourth inning the Cougars mustered in five runs.
Let’s go back to the mound…Mr. Hendrickson was in a groove. The Irish could not figure his stuff out and outside of one more walk, Shane had ND cross-eyed! Fastball, curveball, sliders; fans witnessed all but Greg Maddux on the mound and by the end of the game a no-hitter was thrown. Shane allowed just two walks, struck out 12 of 14 batters (five in crooked fashion) leading to his teams’ 5-0 victory!
The Cougars have all week to practice before their next game on Friday the 13th at home versus Covenant Christian Academy at 3:15 PM.
