Cardinals crushed in double shutout

By MATT KING / Daily Journal Sports Writer

PARK HILLS - The Mineral Area College baseball team saw its season reach a new low point on Tuesday, showing little emotion or urgency in a pair of humbling and abbreviated 10-0 losses against conference and region rival St. Charles.

The trouble began immediately for the Cardinals when the Cougars' lead-off man, Adam Minter reached on a dropped fly ball to start game one. Three batters later, Trey Keene belted a powerful grand slam against starter Blake Jones for a 4-0 lead.

St. Charles added to the separation with a two-out rally in the third. After Carlos Suarez connected on a solo home run, Kyle Smith capped a string of three straight hits with a RBI single to make it 6-0.

MAC reliever Marshall Macormic worked innings without allowing a run, but struggled mightily in a sixth inning which saw the Cardinals commit two of their four errors, and included a bases-loaded walk.

The Cardinals failed to advance a runner past second base against pitcher Aren Cummings, and stranded two men in the second and third innings. Cummings tossed a perfect sixth to complete a five-hit shutout and invoke the 10-run rule.

Ryan Blankenship went 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles, and Tyler Stahl was 2-for-3 to lead the Mineral Area offense. Steve Carter finished 3-for-4 and Blane Boss doubled twice for the Cougars.

The frustration resumed for the home team in game two as St. Charles needed just five innings to polish off the Cardinals, thanks to an impressive two-hit shutout from Robinson Reyes, who fanned nine batters in the win.

The Cougars also continued the power display with four home runs during the rout, including three deep drives against Ryan Hilton, who lasted just 1 1/3 innings before departing the mound.

A pair of walks preceded a three-run homer to left by Carter which gave a Cougars a 4-0 cushion in the first inning. Smith opened the second with a solo shot, and Boss ripped a two-run blast to right-center later in the frame to make it 7-0.

Boss deposited another two-run homer during his next plate appearance in the fourth against Cory Grewe to finish the game 2-for-3 with four RBI. Josh Street was a perfect 3-for-3 with a double and two runs scored for the Cougars (13-11).

The bottom of the first inning proved both scary and controversial for the Cardinals. Sophomore first baseman Sean Bard was hit both in the shoulder, and the side of the face by an inside pitch, but fortunately trotted to first base unharmed.

With runners at first and second and two outs, and infield hit by Joaby Sikes deflected off the shortstop's glove and rolled away. Tony Spencer hustled to the plate and appeared to beat the tag with a nifty dive, but was called out on the play, prompting an argument from dejected MAC coach Jim Gerwitz.

Bard doubled in the third inning to give the Cardinals two men in scoring position, but a ground out ended that threat.

“This was real disappointing, and there is no excuse for it,” said Gerwitz. “This isn't the MAC team I have seen in the last couple of years. I don't know what the deal is, but we have to figure it out in a hurry.”

Mineral Area (7-21) will travel to Florissant Valley on Thursday.

St. Charles 402 004 - 10 10 0

Mineral Area 000 000 - 0 5 4

WP - Cummings 6i 0r 5h 4k 2bb.

LP - Jones 3i 6r 5er 6h 2k 3bb.

Hitting:

St. Charles - Carter 3, Boss 2, Street, Keene, Suarez, Cummings, Smith. 2b - Boss 2. HR - Keene, Suarez.

Mineral Area - Blankenship 2, Stahl 2, Patton. 2b - Blankenship 2.

St. Charles 430 30 - 10 10 0

Mineral Area 000 00 - 0 2 2

WP - Reyes 5i 0r 2h 9k 4bb 1hp.

LP - Hilton 1 1/3i 7r 4h 2k 3bb.

Hitting:

St. Charles - Street 3, Boss 2, Smith 2, Keene, Carter, Cummings. 2b - Street. HR - Boss 2, Carter, Smith.

Mineral Area - Bard, Sikes. 2b - Bard.