Gross hands Pius X an 11-1 loss
Brian Boro worked his way out of the only jam he got himself into, and his Omaha Gross teammates rewarded him.
Gross scored five runs in the third inning to catapult the Cougars to an 11-1 victory over Lincoln Pius X on Monday in the first round of the Class B state baseball tournament at Den Hartog Field.
“I was rushing the lower half of my body and so I was having trouble spotting the ball,” Boro said of his 34-pitch third inning. He gave up a single and walked two before getting a strikeout to end the threat.
“I have confidence in the guys behind me and I know they’ll make the plays. And then they made it a little easier because I had a lot of cushion.”
Catcher Adam Kresl, who hit a solo home run in the second inning, sparked the Cougars’ five-run third inning with a two-run single. Boro followed with a run-scoring single, and two errors allowed the final two runs of the inning to come home.
“They keep pitching me inside. I’m not usually a home-run hitter,” said Kresl, who has four homers on the year, including one against the Bolts in the district final. “In the third, I just wanted to get my bat on the ball and drive in some runs.”
Boro said he didn’t change his approach, even with a 6-0 lead.
“I thrive on pressure. I pitch the same way as if it’s scoreless,” said Boro. “Every pitch matters as much as the next.”
Aaron Molinaro, who took the loss for the Thunderbolts, led off the fourth with a solo home run to left, but Pius X couldn’t scratch out any more.
Jesse Parker singled in a pair of runs in the fifth and Gross added three runs in the sixth inning to end the game on the 10-run rule. Boro doubled and after three infield hits, Brandon Winkelmann delivered the game-ender with a line drive up the middle.
Gross advances to Tuesday's 4 p.m. winners’ bracket semifinal game at Haymarket Park against Gretna, which defeated Omaha Roncalli 5-4 in nine innings. Pius X will face Roncalli at 4 p.m. at Den Hartog Field in an elimination game.
Ryly Jane Hambleton at 473-7314 or rhambleton@journalstar.com.
Gross scored five runs in the third inning to catapult the Cougars to an 11-1 victory over Lincoln Pius X on Monday in the first round of the Class B state baseball tournament at Den Hartog Field.
“I was rushing the lower half of my body and so I was having trouble spotting the ball,” Boro said of his 34-pitch third inning. He gave up a single and walked two before getting a strikeout to end the threat.
“I have confidence in the guys behind me and I know they’ll make the plays. And then they made it a little easier because I had a lot of cushion.”
Catcher Adam Kresl, who hit a solo home run in the second inning, sparked the Cougars’ five-run third inning with a two-run single. Boro followed with a run-scoring single, and two errors allowed the final two runs of the inning to come home.
“They keep pitching me inside. I’m not usually a home-run hitter,” said Kresl, who has four homers on the year, including one against the Bolts in the district final. “In the third, I just wanted to get my bat on the ball and drive in some runs.”
Boro said he didn’t change his approach, even with a 6-0 lead.
“I thrive on pressure. I pitch the same way as if it’s scoreless,” said Boro. “Every pitch matters as much as the next.”
Aaron Molinaro, who took the loss for the Thunderbolts, led off the fourth with a solo home run to left, but Pius X couldn’t scratch out any more.
Jesse Parker singled in a pair of runs in the fifth and Gross added three runs in the sixth inning to end the game on the 10-run rule. Boro doubled and after three infield hits, Brandon Winkelmann delivered the game-ender with a line drive up the middle.
Gross advances to Tuesday's 4 p.m. winners’ bracket semifinal game at Haymarket Park against Gretna, which defeated Omaha Roncalli 5-4 in nine innings. Pius X will face Roncalli at 4 p.m. at Den Hartog Field in an elimination game.
Ryly Jane Hambleton at 473-7314 or rhambleton@journalstar.com.
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