LCC baseball team splits pair at home

By Michael Leek
Sports Editor

The LCC baseball team split a pair of games against Mid Michigan College on Tuesday, April 9 at Municipal Park in Lansing.

The Stars had a poor batting and defensive performance in the first game, losing 14-5. They did completely the opposite in the second game, winning 17-7.

Freshman pitcher Zach Demianenko pitched the first two innings for LCC in the first game. He allowed five hits, one of them being a home run, and gave up seven of Mid Michigan’s 14 runs.

Freshman pitcher Austin Glope was then brought in for another two innings and gave up seven hits, with two of them being home runs. Freshman pitcher Sean Bartlett closed the game for the Stars, allowing two hits and three runs.

LCC had a strong start in game one, scoring three runs in the first inning, but gave up seven unanswered in the next two.

Offensively, the Stars recorded six hits, with only five of their nine batters recording a hit.

LCC freshman Chyran Humphries takes a mighty swing against Mid-Michigan College during a home game at Municipal Park's Kircher Field in Lansing on April 9.  Photo by Kaitlyn Delaney

LCC freshman Jack Bakus was one of the players to record a hit, and it was a home run. Sophomore Vince Hardy also hit a home run and had two RBIs for LCC.

LCC Head Coach Steven Cutter said the first game was a big letdown.

“I consider that more or less growing pains for a young team,” Cutter said. “Baseball and life are all about how you respond to adversity, and we responded very well in game two with a mercy-rule (win).”

The second game was tied 1-1 leading into the third inning, and then the Stars exploded.

They scored 13 runs total in the third and fourth inning and finished it in the fifth inning by scoring another three.

Sophomore Braden LaRusso pitched for the Stars in game two, striking out seven batters in four innings. He gave up seven runs.

Freshman Luke Kameg was then brought in for LCC, but only pitched one inning before the game ended in the fifth inning.

The Stars doubled their hits from the first game, recording 12 hits. Hardy was among the standout batters again, going two for three at the plate, hitting a home run and bringing in five RBIs. Sophomore Sammy Contacos added a two-run home run for LCC.

Cutter said he looks to keep the energy and morale for the team high as the season is fully into conference play.

“The energy is a roller coaster that is often dictated by what is going right or wrong,” Cutter said. “Consistency is a superpower, and we all are working hard to become more consistent with the added experiences.”