USM Evens Record with Come-From Behind Baseball Victory

The University School baseball team battled from behind then held off Brookfield Academy’s last-inning rally to win a non-conference game, 9-7 Friday afternoon at USM.

BA jumped ahead early with back-to-back homeruns by the Kolasinski brothers in the top of the first.  Junior Zach Kolasinski hit the first one to center, then his younger brother, sophomore Jake Kolasinski, followed with one to right field, and the Blue Knights led 2-0.

USM scored its first run in the bottom of the second.  Junior Tommy Pennington reached on an error and then both Pennington and junior Nathan Burke were safe on a fielder’s choice.  Both runners moved up on a wild pitch and Pennington scored when Taylor Schaefer grounded out.

In the third, sophomore Dom Ricci hit another solo homerun to put BA ahead, 3-1.  Zach Kolasinski then singled, advanced to second on an errant pick off attempt, moved to third on a fielder’s choice, and scored on an error.

Trailing 4-1, the Wildcats rallied to tie the score in the bottom of the third.  With one out, junior Lane Stanford and freshman Jack Wells hit back-to-back doubles to make it 4-2.  Wells went to third on a ground out. Then Pennington singled Wells home.   Burke doubled to drive home Pennington.

The Wildcats loaded the bases with none out in the bottom of the fourth inning, but they were unable to scratch a run out of the advantage.  They also had runners on first and third in the bottom of the fifth, but once again were unable to bring a runner home.

USM scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth.  Sophomore Nishad Agrawal led off the inning with a walk.  Stanford laid down a sacrifice bunt, and both he and Agrawal were safe on the play.  Wells then bunted and once again all the runners were safe.  That brought USM’s leading hitter junior Josh Baker to the plate.  Baker delivered.  He drilled a sharp single to right that drove home Agrawal and Stanford, and gave USM a 6-4 lead.  With Wells at third, Baker stole second. Wells raced home on the attempt to get Baker.  Pennington then singled, driving in Baker.  Pennington stole second and tagged and went to third on Burkes long fly out.  Pennington then scored when sophomore Billy Lawton grounded out.

A 9-4 lead with just one inning left seems comfortable, but the BA batters made the final inning an uncomfortable one for USM before it was all over.  Junior Tyler Frowirth led off with a single.  Ricci then singled to move Frowirth to second.  Zach Kolasinski walked to load the bases.  Jake Kolasinski then hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Frowirth and advance the other runners.  With two out freshman Nate Stolte doubled to drive in the runners and bring the tying run to the plate.  Stolte went to third on a wild pitch, but that was as far as he got. Stanford, pitching in relief, got the final out on a pop up to Agrawal at short.

In the game Frowirth took the loss. Burke in middle relief was credited with the win.  Ricci went 2 for 4, with a homerun, Zach Kolasinski went 2 for 3 with a homerun, and Jake Kolasinski was one for one with a homerun and two RBIs for BA.  Stanford was two for four with a double, Burke was two for four with a double, and Pennington was two for four with two RBIs for USM.

Brookfield Academy is now 14-6.  USM evened its record at 11-11.  The Wildcats travel to Germantown for a 4:30 p.m. game on Monday.