MANKATO — After putting up eight runs in the bottom of the first inning, the Mankato Loyola baseball team relied on freshman right-hander Covin Winter and a flawless defensive effort Tuesday to finish off an 8-3 win over Martin County West in Game 1 of a doubleheader at ISG Field.
The Crusaders won Game 2 of the doubleheader 16-6.
In Game 1, Loyola (8-10) took advantage of four walks, two errors and a pair of hit batters to chase Mavericks’ starter Cam Meyer after one inning. Senior second baseman TJ O’Malley’s lead-off double along with junior shortstop Cam Fogal’s two-run single were the only hits in the surge. MCW relief pitcher Colsan Andersen blanked the Crusaders the rest of the way, allowing four hits while fanning four and hitting two.
“We came in here with the mindset we were going to hit the ball and win,” Winter, who gave up two hits while striking out six and walking two, said. “I just wanted to throw strikes and not allow too many hits which makes it a simple game if you think of it like that.
“Our coach finds specific places to put us where we can be efficient defensively. We were able to get a bunch of fly outs and some ground-outs. We have to do a better job of chaining hits together and finish off innings when we start them so we don’t strand so many runners.”
Winter set down the first seven hitters, but a walk, a hit batter and Jerry Olson’s single set up Maddex Faber’s three-run double into the left-field corner. After striking out the side in the fourth, Winter closed things out by getting nine straight outs.
“Covin has had three great starts in a row to get complete games,” Loyola coach Sam Carlson said. “He’s been super consistent throwing strikes and letting his defense do the work. I felt our outfielders made some really good reads and our infield was solid. Everybody is coming together but we can always improve.
“We have to have better two strike swings. It’s tough to tell what our approach is at times, we need to have more intent when we’re up there. What pitch to look for in what count and then with two strikes we have to put it in play.”
Fogal collected two of the Crusaders seven hits while George Crimmins, Covin Winter, Camden Winter and Bram Godfrey each chipped in a base hit.
“Our defense has been really amazing this year,” Fogal said. “It has been fun to watch the new guys step up. We’re having too many strikeouts right now so we just have to find our pitch, be aggressive and have some confidence. TJ got us going with that lead-off double and that just gets everybody going.”
Loyola plays Triton at 9 a.m. Saturday at Bowyer Field.