Batavia Beats Sutherland in Extra Innings

Sutherland's season ended yesterday with a 3-2 loss in extra innings to Batavia.   The Knights final record is 19-3.

Sutherland Advances With 11-1 Win Over Geneva

The Sutherland Knights used a dominating pitching performance by John Meuchner and a 14 hit offensive attack to down the Geneva Panthers 11-1 in the Class A Sectional Quarterfinal.    Leading the way offensively for Sutherland was Grant Heyman who went 3 for 3 with a solo homerun in the first, a triple in the third and a RBI single in the fifth.   Heyman also had 3 runs scored and 2 RBIs.  

The Knights also got two hit efforts from Ryan Hallowell, Hunter Merrill, Spencer Lowe and Jeffrey Kay.    Freshman Ben Swisher also contributed a two-run double in the 9 run fifth inning that busted open the game for Sutherland.

Meuchner picked up his sixth win of 2012 with 5 innings of shutout baseball with 7 strikeouts while only giving up 2 hits.

Sutherland faces Division III rival Batavia in the Sectional Semi-Final at 4:30 on Tuesday at Sargent Field.  

Sutherland Beats Eastridge 16 to 5 on Senior Day

Powered by a 13 hit offensive attack, the Knights defeated Eastridge 16-5.   Spencer Lowe led the way with a 3 for 5 day including a double, triple and grand slam.   Lowe also registered 2 runs scored and 6 RBIs.   John Meuchner also contributed a 3 for 3 with a run scored and an RBI.  Rounding out the offense were Sean Menard and Hunter Merrill, who both registered 2 hits for the Knights.

The score was 4-3 with no outs in the top of the fifth and the tying and go ahead runs in scoring position for the Lancers but reliever Kane Shaw struck out two batters and got a ground out to get out of trouble.  On the day Shaw pitched 2 perfect innings while striking out 4 Eastridge hitters.   Starter Jeff Kay got his fourth win of the season with 4 innings of work while giving up 1 run.

The Knights finished the regular season 18-2 with a 9-1 record in Division III.   Sutherland will host the Class A Quarterfinal at Sargent Field next Friday.

Meuchner Blanks Brighton 2-0, Knights win Division

Senior righthander John Meuchner threw a two-hit shutout yesterday to defeat Brighton 2-0 and clinch the Sutherland Knights the Division III League Championship and earn the Knights the #1 Seed in the Section V Class A Sectional Championships.   Meuchner struck out 6 Barons enroute to his 5th win of 2012.

The Knights scored their first run in the third inning when Ben Swisher singled, was bunted to second by Michael Pringle and knocked in by Hunter Merrill's RBI single through the middle.   It stayed 1-0 until the sixth when Sean Menard walked with the bases loaded scoring Merrill, who laid down a bunt base hit to lead off the inning.

The Barons had their best scoring opportunity in the fifth inning when they had a baserunner on with no outs but a 5-4-3 double play turned in by Pringle-Alec DePaolis-Jeffrey Kay erased the threat.

Merrill led the offense with a 3 for 3 day including an RBI single and a run scored.

The Knights will take on Eastridge on Friday for Senior Day at Sargent Field.

Sutherland Edges Batavia 4-3

The Sutherland Knights squeaked by divisional rival Batavia 4-3 at Sargent Field today.   The Knights jumped out to a 3-0 lead after four complete thanks to a misplayed 1st and 3rd steal, and run scoring base hits by Jeffrey Kay and John Meuchner.

The Blue Devils battled back in the fifth with 3 runs of their own to tie it 3-3 before the Knights used a bases loaded error to take the 4-3 lead in the home half of the inning.   Batavia put the tying run in scoring position in the 7th, only to have Meuchner strike out the side for the save.

Starter Ryan Hallowell had a no-hitter through 4 complete before he gave way to reliever Kane Shaw, who pitched two innings of no-hit ball for his first Varsity victory.   Hallowell, Shaw and Meuchner combined to strike out 12 Blue Devil hitters and limit Batavia to two hits.

Michael Pringle had a 2 for 3 day to lead the Knights offense.

Sutherland is now 7-1 in Division III play and 16-2 overall.