Marquette Catholic's baseball team takes two from Calhoun, primed for solid season

ALTON - Marquette Catholic's baseball team has followed the success of the basketball team into the season so far under head coach Tim Fahrnestock.

The Explorers beat Calhoun twice on Saturday 5-1 and 10-1 at Hardin to improve to 4-1 on the season.

Calhoun fell to 4-2 after being swept.

Fahrnestock singled out Maag and Weinman for some key hitting in both games.

"Jason Maag had a heck of a day on Saturday and Zach tore it up at the plate," Fahrnestock said.

The Explorers have an array of pitchers, so they are adapting to the new IHSA-pitch count rule likely better than most teams.

"We are fortunate to have a pretty deep pitching staff," Fahrnestock said. "We have some good pitchers with experience and some excellent younger pitchers."

The Explorers' Nick Hemann is one for one at the plate for a .1000 average so far; Maag is batting .421 after five games and has five RBI and a home run. Jake Reiter is hitting .500, while Garrett Weiner is hitting .444 and Liam Maher's average stands at .357. Messinger has a .333 batting average, and Weinman is hitting .278, but has three RBI and a pair of doubles and has been solid in the first five games for the Explorers. Marquette's Sam Stemm has a .500 average with one hit in two at-bats.

Hurler Brady McAfee has a 1-0 mark and 10 strikeouts, Luke Simmons is 1-0 on the mound, while Mike Neel and Liam Maher have also picked up a win. Messinger, Hemann, Kyle Begnel and Adam Harrison have also had solid outings on the mound for the Explorers.

Saturday Roundup at Calhoun

Game 1

The Explorers scored three in the top of the seventh to break the game open and held the Warriors to a solo run in the seventh for the Game 1 win. Jayce Maag went 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored, with Nick Messenger 2-for-3, Ethan Kopsie 1-for-2 with a double, Liam Mather 1-for-4 with a double, Brady McAfee 1-for-1, Zach Weinman 1-for-4 with a double and run scored and Garrett Weiner a run scored.

Calhoun's Ty Bick was 1-for-2, while Conner Gilman 1-for-3, Wes Klocke 1-for-4 and Chandler Sievers 1-for-3 with a run scored.

The Explorers' Mike Neal got the win, striking out three; Easton Clark took the loss, striking out six.

Game 2

The Explorers exploded for five runs in the second inning of the nightcap, with Maag again having a big game, going 3-for-5 with a homer, three RBIs and three runs scored. The Explorers' Weinman was 2-for-4 with a RBI and run scored, Mather 1-for-4 with two RBIs, McAfee 1-for-4 with a run scored, Konnor Morrisey 1-for-2, Jake Reiter 1-for-2 and Kollin Morrisey three runs scored and John Blachford and Messinger a run scored each.

Calhoun's Brandon Baalman was 1-for-2 while Gilman was 1-for-2 with a double and run scored.

Marquette's Luke Simmons got the win, striking out three; Baalman took the loss.

Marquette next travels to Columbia for a 4:30 p.m. Wednesday game. The Warriors go to Pleasant Hill for a 4:30 p.m. Tuesday game, are at Staunton for a 4:30 p.m. Wednesday game. The Explorers are scheduled to return home at 4:30 Thursday against Bunker Hill.

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