The baseball team played a home series against Minnesota Crookston from Friday, Feb. 14 to Sunday, Feb. 16. The team won the first game on Friday, Feb. 14 (7-6) but dropped the second game on Saturday, Feb. 15 (0-8). The Gorillas closed the weekend with a victory on Sunday, Feb. 16 (4-3).
Head coach Bob Fornelli thought the team played well on Friday, Feb. 14 and Sunday, Feb. 16.
“Well, we had two pretty good days and one bad day,” Fornelli said. “We did some good things really (on) Sunday. I thought we played pretty good baseball (and we) found a way to win 4-3. But Saturday, we got to be a lot better. (We) didn’t really show up. You can’t play baseball that way. But I thought we got better overall during the weekend. We just (got to) get better for next week.”
Fornelli hopes to see the team continue to improve but noticed that the Gorillas need to be more consistent.
“I think (we need to work on) just being consistent,” Fornelli said. “I think if we’ll be a consistent baseball team and play the right way each and every day, we’ll be successful.”
During game one, senior Tyler Pittman and junior Blain Ohlmeier each made two runs and junior Mason Hartman made one. Pittman had three hits, senior Tyson Cushman and Hartman each had two and Ohlmeier added one. Cushman recorded three RBIs. Senior Greyson Pinkett had a total of 11 putouts, Cushman had five, freshman Ryan Koval had two and Hartman added one. Pinkett and Cushman each made three assists and Hartman added one.
During game two, Ohlmeier, Cushman, Pinkett, and Hartman all had one hit. Pinkett had 12 putouts, Hartman had three, Pittman had two and redshirt freshman Justin Root had one. Root added two assists and Hartman had one.
During game three, Ohlmeier made two runs. Ohlmeier had three hits, Cushman and senior Chaz Burgess each had two and junior Dawson Pomeroy had one. Cushman had two RBIs and Ohlmeier had one. Junior Logan Murany had eight putouts, junior Hunter Lamunyon had five, Pomeroy had three and sophomore Quin Reasoner had one. Reasoner added three assists and Murany and Lamunyon each had one.
“Zack Curry did really well on Sunday and that’s big for us because we need him to be a good pitcher for us,” Fornelli said. “Blain Ohlmeier was the leader this weekend. (He) did everything right, made a big play, and gave us an opportunity to be successful.”
The Gorillas have a few upcoming games. The team will play upper Iowa at home on Friday, Feb. 21 at 3 p.m. On Saturday, Feb. 22, the Gorillas will play Truman at home at 3 p.m. The Gorillas will exit the weekend with games on Sunday, Feb. 23 at home against Upper Iowa at 12 p.m. and Truman at 3 p.m.
“(I hope to see…) consistency,” Fornelli said. “We gotta get better each and every day and we got a four game weekend series. Hopefully, we’ll come out and play the right way and have a good weekend.”