Dragons Jump Start Offense In Victory

By ERIC X. VICCARO

EVICCARO@STEGENHERALD.COM

The Ste. Genevieve High School baseball team finally got its offense on track this past Thursday at Yanks Field.

The Dragons did so at the expense of winless Mineral Area Activities Association Large School Division foe Fredericktown.

Ste. Genevieve scattered 11 hits, drew two walks and were issued three hit batsmen in a 12-1 victory over Fredericktown.

“We’re constantly talking to the guys about how to take a successful approach at the plate,” Ste. Genevieve head baseball coach Michael McDaniel said. “Hitting is a mindset, and we’d like to see our guys continue to be aggressive and work on making more solid contact when they get good pitches to hit.”

McDaniel implored the Dragons to take good pitches when they are ahead in the count — and do something with them.

The coach acknowledged the Dragons have had a Jekyll-and-Hyde type season up to this point — and Ste. Genevieve currently sits at .500 (7-7).

But, there’s still plenty of time left to make improvements before the postseason begins in May.

In the win over Fredericktown, Quentin Wittkopf went the distance (five innings), allowing one unearned run on three hits while allowing two walks, one hit batter and five hits.

The Blackcats had base runners, but they never threatened outside of one run in the top of the first inning.

Ste. Genevieve owned the rest of the game, which included a seven-spot in the second inning — highlighted by a blistering Zach Boyer triple to deep center field, a Carter Klump RBI groundout, Adrien DeRousse run-scoring double and Aiden Meyer line-drive single.

Aiden Boyer’s double was key during the Dragons’ two-run first inning.

Courtesy runner Mason Nix (in for catcher Hunter Lorance) pushed across a run during Ste. Genevieve’s three-run third on yet another Klump RBI grounder. Payton Matthews scored on a Fredericktown throwing error.

Excitedly, the game ended on a double-play in the fifth inning, with Matthews, Wittkopf and Lorance playing roles in the defensive gem. A Blackcat runner was forced out at home plate after originally tagging up.

Earlier in the week, Ste. Genevieve trimmed Dragon rival DeSoto, 2-1, with a dominating pitching performance from Aiden Boyer. This past Friday, the Dragons’ rally fell short in a 10-9 loss at Ladue in St. Louis.