Just as Alex Horninbrook showed us last week, Badgers love playing in Florida; but this time these Badgers aren’t transferring schools but competing in the annual Spring Training Tournament at Mike Sansone Field in Tampa, Florida.
The club team had their first set of games with a doubleheader on Sunday. In the first game that Badgers fell to the Florida Gators nine runs to four. The first game of the year for the team. Starting pitcher, Nolan Degreef had one strikeout and allowed three runs, and closing pitcher Drew Gorski recorded two strikeouts and allowed five runs.
Hits came from all over with two from 3B Ed Olson, two from 1B Connor Rolain, one from RF Ryan McLaughlin, one from SS Matt Gramins, and two from DH Casey Roeser.
Not the start the team was looking for, but with fresh sunburns and great walk-up songs selected by Trey Mohr, the team moved into the second game of the doubleheader against Iowa, where they fell 12 runs to one.
Starting pitcher Brady Madigan showed heat from the mound. With one strikeout and allowing seven earned runs, it is notable that he beamed five Iowa batters. Closing pitcher Jared Van Bramer had three strikeouts and allowed five earned runs.
The Hawkeyes did, however, fear 1B Connor Rolain as he was walked at his first two at-bats. Hits came from 2B Nick Newburg with one, 3B Ed Olson with two, Gus Turner-Zick with one, Matt Gramins with one, Casey Roeser with one, and Nick Iacovo with two.
Ed Olson had a great day with a laser beam out from third base to first in the first game. He also proved that he CAN catch fly balls in the second game with two back to back foul pop-ups.
RF Ryan McLaughlin left the Iowa game after getting hit by a pitch and then hit by the pitcher trying to pick off to first base. Hopefully, the inflammation reduces, and he regains mobility to continue playing this week in Tampa.
The team looks forward to another doubleheader on Monday where Trey Mohr will get his first start of the season at the mound. When speaking to Mohr, he expects to pitch the entire seven innings. His presence will be missed in the bullpen as well as on the aux, but definitely impactful from the mound.
Sconnie Sports Talk