Hazelwood West Varsity Baseball Falls to 0-2 after 8-6 Loss to Parkway North

After a difficult to take 11-1 season opening loss March 21 at Parkway South High School, varsity baseball coach Matt McClellan was curious to see how his team would bounce back in game two on Tuesday, March 22.

At the conclusion of Tuesday’s more than two hour back-and-forth tussle with Parkway North High School, McClellan felt much better about how his team played, but wasn’t completely satisfied with what he saw. The Wildcats gave up a late lead in an 8-6 loss to the Vikings.

“We’re trying to find out about our team,” McClellan said. “That’s what these early games are for.

"We used almost our whole bench today, and everybody contributed in some way. And that’s what we’re looking for, even if we didn’t get the win.”

Not getting the win was rather unfortunate, because Hazelwood West was certainly in position to do so.

The Wildcats led 6-5 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning. They could have padded their lead in the top of the fifth, but senior centerfielder Trevor Jones, who had two hits on the day, couldn’t pick up a third with runners on first and second, and two outs.

Parkway North turned the momentum of getting out of that jam into a scoring rally in its half of the fifth.

First baseman Danny Heim got it started, when he reached on a error. Teammates Connor Faron and Grant Benten also reached safely, on a fielder’s choice and a basehit, setting up a bases loaded, one out situation for right fielder Evan Block.

The lefty slugger, who also pitches for the Vikings and actually took the “L” in their season-opening loss to Francis Howell Central, drilled a shot up the middle that scored Heim and Faron, and gave Parkway North a 7-6 lead.

“I’m happy for Evan,” Parkway North head coach Fred Friedman said. “He’s new to our program, and we just told him today how happy we were to have him pitching for us, and playing right field for us, and definitely hitting for us.”

The Vikings added a run in the bottom of the sixth, on a two-out single by Heim, who had two hits, two RBIs, and reached base four times against the Wildcats.

“Two-out, clutch hits are so important,” Friedman said. “They can be so demoralizing for the opponent, and very uplifting for us.”

Hazelwood West gained the lead, after falling behind 4-0 in the first, by scoring single runs in the second and third innings, and by tallying four runs of their own in the fourth.

Jones, shortstop Matt Leinberger and first baseman Joe Gagliardi were key figures in the Wildcat comeback.

Jones had the two hits, two stolen bases, and two runs scored; Leinberger had two RBIs and two stellar defensive plays; and Gagliardi had a two-run single that kept the four-run rally in the fourth alive.

“That’s what keeps us moving in the right direction,” McClellan said. “Everybody has an opportunity to contribute on this team.

"And we’re gonna be a good team if we keep getting guys to do that.”

North righthander Michael Pride (1-0) got the win for the Vikings, after allowing just three hits in one and two-third scoreless innings pitched. While teammate Andrew Huss gave up two Hazelwood West hits in the sixth, but pitched a perfect seventh to pick up the save.

Junior Kurtis Aldrich (0-1) was the tough luck loser for the Wildcats. He took over in relief in the second, and held North at bay until the two-run fifth for the Vikings turned the game.

Both teams will return to action March 24. Hazelwood West will play its Suburban North Conference opener at Ritenour High, with first pitch slated for 4 p.m.