Baseball
By: Jim Green
For seven innings, the Lawrence High School baseball team’s game against Notre Dame seemed like every other close contest the Cardinals played this season.
For seven innings, the winless Cardinals made poor decisions in the field and at the plate, preventing them from securing victory. There was, however, one major difference between this game and all the other close ones this season: senior ace Dave Waseleski refused to let the Cardinals lose.
Waseleski hurled all eight innings, striking out a season-high 11 batters while surrendering three runs on just six hits in a gutsy effort. The right-hander worked out of several jams to keep his team close, and his hustle on the base paths produced the game-tying run in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Waseleski’s performance, combined with a clutch game-winning single by senior catcher Charlie Park in the bottom of the eighth inning, carried the Cardinals to their first win of the year, a 4-3 decision Monday over Notre Dame at LHS.
"I wanted to win one, and I know the team really wanted to win one," said Waseleski, who improved his record to 1-6. "Everyone was picking each other up. It was a great team win."
Waseleski’s determination helped the Cardinals overcome an offensive effort in which they left 10 runners on base, struck out to end an inning five times and failed to score after loading the bases twice in the first three innings.
"We won the game, but it could have been a lot easier than it was," Lawrence coach Brian Carter said. "We could have won by four or five runs."
As difficult as it was, the Cardinals were just relieved to pick up a victory.
"To get a win at this point is huge," Carter said. "We’ve been playing with tough teams all year. I knew we were going to play them tough. I had to see how our guys were going to respond. I had to see whether they were going to give up or keep battling."
The Cardinals battled the Fighting Irish, who entered the game 13-6, wire-to-wire.
Notre Dame jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top first inning, but Lawrence answered with two in the bottom of the second. The Cardinals, who failed to score in the first despite loading the bases with one out, filled the bases again with none out in the second.
Junior first baseman Ian Black started the rally by ripping a double to right center. Junior designated hitter Joe Ragazzo was then walked, and senior second baseman Jared Smith was hit by a pitch. Senior center fielder Khalil Halder followed by bouncing into a double play, scoring Black. Ragazzo then came home on a wild pitch, giving Lawrence a 2-1 lead.
Waseleski was victimized by his defense in the top of the third, as a poor decision on a relay throw gave Notre Dame runners at second and third with none out. The Fighting Irish then scored runs with a ground out and a sacrifice fly, taking back a one-run advantage.
Waseleski then shut the door on Notre Dame, retiring eight of 10 batters and allowing one hit while striking out seven over the last five innings.
"He (Waseleski) got the strikeouts when we needed them," Carter said. "He was having fun. That’s Dave’s game, to go out and throw and have fun."
The Cardinals’ offense was not having quite as much fun. They loaded the bases for the third straight inning with three walks in the bottom of the third, but Smith struck out to end the rally.
Waseleski singled and senior right fielder Jordan Antieri reached on an error to start the bottom of the fifth. Black sacrificed the runners to second and third, but Ragazzo and Smith both struck out, ending the threat.
"In four straight innings, we struck out with runners on base," Carter said. "Hitting is contagious. No one’s starting that rally yet."
Waseleski kept the Cardinals close by retiring the Fighting Irish in order in the sixth and seventh innings. And in the bottom of the seventh, Lawrence got the break it needed.
Waseleski led off the inning with a pop up that was dropped by the Notre Dame right fielder. Waseleski busted into second, drawing a wild throw from the right fielder. The ball went out of play, allowing Waseleski to come around and score, forcing extra innings.
In the top of the eighth, Waseleski finally ran into trouble, as a walk and an error gave Notre Dame runners at second and third with one out. Instead of cracking, Waseleski reached back to record a strikeout and a fly out, ending the frame with the game tied at 4-4.
"I was getting tired," Waseleski admitted. "But everyone kept on telling me this could be the game. That kept me going."
Junior center fielder Charlie Commini, who was 4-for-10 with six RBIs in Lawrence’s previous four games, led off the bottom of the eighth by drilling a triple to left center, setting up Park’s heroics.
"That (a triple) takes so much pressure off you," Carter said. "You’re hoping he singles. But with the way we’ve been hitting, the law of averages says bunting isn’t going to get it done. He (Commini) removed all doubt by getting to third."
And with one out, Park, the Cardinals’ top hitter, strode to the plate with a chance to knock in the winning run. But it initially seemed as though he would have to pass the baton. The home plate umpire ruled that Park was hit by the first pitch of his at bat.
After conferring with the field umpire, though, the home plate umpire decided that Park offered at the pitch, making it a strike. As Park trotted back to the plate from first, Carter said to him, "End it, Charlie."
Park obliged, taking a 0-2 pitch and ripping it through the left side of the infield, bringing home the winning run. The Cardinals mobbed Commini after he crossed home plate, lifting a huge weight off their collective shoulders.
Waseleski was on deck and would have had a chance to win the game if Park had been given a free pass to first.
"Any way we can win is fine," Waseleski said. "I was psyched when that happened (Park was awarded first base). It wasn’t easy, but they (the Fighting Irish) are a good team."

