By Jacob Heid

Sports Editor

PLOVER – Another subpar weekend of spring weather didn’t stop the bats of the Pacelli and Amherst baseball teams from getting hot.

A doubleheader at Veteran’s Memorial Park in Plover on Apr. 29 showcased the offensive talent of both teams. 

Pacelli scored six late runs to take a 15-14 win in game one.

Amherst got revenge in game two, winning by an 8-4 score.

Amherst senior Matt Glodowski led the offense with a two-run home run and multiple other hits.

Pacelli’s Malise Beduhn had four total RBIs in the split, while Peyton Flees finished with three.

Game 1 – Amherst 14, Pacelli 15

Amherst led off the top of the first with runners on first and second with one out.

Junior TJ Brandl roped a ball to left-center field to score the first two runs.

Pacelli answered with its own run in its bottom half. 

Beduhn forced a leadoff walk, scoring later on a fielder’s choice to make it a 2-1 game after one inning.

Flees opened the second inning for Pacelli with a single. A stolen base and wild pitch moved the tying run to third base.

Grant Hinker gave the Cardinals the 3-2 lead on an 0-2 pitch that ended in a double.

Pacelli scored once more, leading 4-2 after two innings. 

Amherst threatened with runners on second and third in the third inning but couldn’t advance them any further. 

The Cardinals held onto a 5-3 lead after four innings until the Amherst bats exploded in the fifth.

It started with a leadoff walk to junior Marcus Kennedy. The Falcons tied the game on a wild pitch, and senior Wyatt Blaskowski gave the Falcons a 7-5 cushion on a two-RBI double.

Hits kept accumulating, and Amherst led 9-5 heading into the bottom of the fifth. 

Pacelli wasn’t fazed. The Cardinals scored four times to put them behind 10-9 after five complete. 

Amherst took the lead back in the sixth, 12-9, but the difference in the game was the home half of the sixth. 

Pacelli plated six runs, starting with a bases-clearing double by Flees to make it a 12-11 game. 

Junior Asher Jordan extended the frame later with a two-RBI single to take a 15-12 lead into the seventh.

Flees replaced Andrew Van Order on the mound, surrendering a two-run shot to Glodowski, but struck out two batters to seal the win.

Game 2 – Amherst 8, Pacelli 4

Game two was quieter in terms of runs scored, but Amherst struck first again with a run in the top of the first. 

Blaskowski brought Glodowski home on a sacrifice fly to lead 1-0. 

Pacelli grabbed the lead in the home half of the second, scoring on a passed ball and bases-loaded walk.

AJ O’Brien, Amherst’s starting pitcher in game two, got out of the jam and pitched the first three innings. 

The sophomore only surrendered two hits, but Amherst gave up three runs. 

Amherst added three more runs, all with two outs in the third. 

Sophomore Noah Spoelstra started the scoring with a double and one of his three RBIs. 

An error by Pacelli scored Amherst’s second run of the inning, taking a 3-2 lead. Amherst eventually led 4-2 with Pacelli at the plate in the bottom half. 

The Cardinals answered to make it a 4-3 game, as the home bats fell silent, scoring only one more run. 

The Falcons took advantage of the nice relief pitching by freshman Michael Glodowski. 

He went four strong innings while striking out four batters. 

The Falcons led 8-3 before Pacelli could score again in the seventh.

An out on a steal attempt at second ended the ball game and secured the doubleheader split for Amherst. 

Senior Brock Birrenkott took the loss on the mound for Pacelli. 

He pitched four innings and gave up six runs (four earned) on four hits. 

The senior also struck out four and walked four in his innings of work.