Henkel led Stritch with three hits and two RBI against Judson
Elgin, Ill. – The Cardinal Stritch University Wolves fell to Judson University on Tuesday in both games of a double header. The Wolves’ pitching, which has been struggling as of late, could not find a way to slow down the bats of the Eagles, who won 11-1 and 14-4. The Stritch offense fell off once again from their previous performance, unable to score throughout much of the match-up.
Stritch couldn’t get anything going in game one, as John Banks (Elgin, Ill.) held control the entire time he was on the mound. The sophomore gave up a single unearned run to the Wolves in the second when Paul Blair (Lakewood, Calif.) scored on a single by Tyler Henkel (Rhinelander, Wis.).
The Eagles got right to work in the first inning, taking advantage of a Stritch error that allowed the leadoff man to reach base and eventually scoring two unearned runs. They continued to bring men across the plate, scoring in every inning. Justin Calvert (Milwaukee, Wis.) and Phil Cook (Milwaukee, Wis.) combined to give up 11 runs in the game, and Judson claimed the 11-1 win.
Judson picked up right where they left off in game two, taking a 4-0 lead after the first inning against pitcher, Steve Lenski (Milwaukee, Wis.). Lucas Simon (Fond du Lac, Wis.) managed to hold the Eagles scoreless in the second, allowing the Wolves to tie the game 4-4. Stritch used five consecutive two out hits by Sterling Smith (Lombard, Ill.), Dean Mlachnik (Muskego, Wis.), John Bahm (Justice, Ill.), Andy Abromaitis (Oak Creek, Wis.), and Henkel to score four runs in the top of the third.
Simon lost his control in the bottom of the inning though, which gave the Eagles the opportunity to regain the lead. They went up 5-4 before Tyler Martin (Pekin, Ill.) came in and forced a fly ball that closed the inning. Martin’s success did not continue into the fourth, however. He gave up seven runs on six hits and three walks before being replaced with Troy Engibous (Muskego, Wis.). Engibous then allowed the
Eagles’ to score two runs in the bottom of the fifth, giving Judson a ten run advantage and ending the game 14-4.
Henkel led the Wolves offense in both games. The freshman recorded three hits on the day, the only RBI in game one, and another in game two.
With the two losses, Stritch falls to 13-25 overall and 7-13 in the CCAC. They will return home to face Finlandia University on Thursday, Apr. 22. The first of two games is scheduled to start at 2:00 p.m.