Homare Takauchi and Bryce Lollar came into Saturday’s game against Class 4A No. 6 Roncalli with almost no varsity baseball experience, but they emerged as the heroes of an upset win.
Takauchi came up with a two-run single in the sixth to give the Bull Dogs the lead, and Lollar pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh to earn the save in a 6-3 victory.
“Casper (Clark) didn’t have his best stuff today, but he was able to compete, and then Bryce Lollar getting the save there was big for us,” North coach Ben McDaniel said. “Bryce is a great team player. He’s a senior, and he’s been around, and a win for him and lot letting these guys down means a lot.”
Through five innings, the Bull Dogs (10-3) were shut out on three hits by Michigan State recruit Colten Panaranto and trailed 3-0 going to the bottom of the sixth. Austin Bode led off the sixth with a single, Adam Chapman beat out an infield single and Clark reached on an error to load the bases and end Panatanto’s day on the mound.
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Center fielder Nick Schnell, a Louisville recruit who is regarded as a possible first-round draft choice in June, came on and gave up an RBI-single to pinch-hitter Jake Petrusky, with courtesy-runner Blake Huffman scoring North’s first run. Chapman then came home to score when Kyler McIntosh reached on an error.
Schnell then hit Parker Maddox, forcing in courtesy-runner Hayden McDaniel with the tying run with still nobody out. Roncalli’s Hayden Harper came on and gave up a two-run single to Takauchi, a sophomore second baseman whose first varsity game was in Friday’s 8-1 win at Carmel.
“I feel so good,” Takauchi said. “My approach was just to swing and hit (the ball). It’s a good win.”
Tyler Finke sacrificed the runners to second and third. With two out, the Rebels intentionally walked Bode to load the bases. Chapman then drew an unintentional walk to make it 6-3.
Clark gave up a single to start the seventh. Then after a strikeout, he walked the next batter and reached the 120-pitch limit.
Lollar came on to make his first varsity pitching appearance and promptly hit Chris Dobbs to load the bases with one out. But then Lollar retired Mark Cobb on a pop fly to second and struck out Tommy Hansen to end it.
“I was a little nervous at first, but after we got that first out, I calmed down a little bit and was able to start throwing strikes,” Lollar said. “I kind of just decided to approach it as, nobody’s on (base), and just start throwing strikes and let my teammates play defense.”
All three runs that Clark gave up — two in the first and one in the fifth — were unearned. He allowed nine hits.
Takauchi finished 2 for 3 with two RBIs for North. Bode also went 2 for 3.
“Roncalli is a great team,” Ben McDaniel said. “Colten Panaranto is a great pitcher, and he did a good job holding us at bay. But we got them there in the sixth, and then when they brought Schnell in there, we were able to get to him, too. We had a couple guys with some key hits there in the sixth inning.”
