MARRIOTTSVILLE, MD — The Chapelgate baseball team got a strong complete-game pitching effort from senior left-hander Michael Patton on Tuesday against visiting Saints Peter and Paul, but the Yellowjackets were missing an offense.
Sabres sophomore starter Cole Koski held Chapelgate to only three hits in 5 1/3 innings, striking out six and walking five, before sophomore James Hastings got the final five straight outs, including three by strikeout, to get the save.
Patton "is pitching lights out. He's outstanding. We're just not hitting. We're not being aggressive," Chapelgate coach Jeremy Story said. "It's frustrating. (Koski) pitched a good game, but we just didn't hit. We're better than that. It's just little things, we've just got to get back to basics."
What made things more frustrating for the Yellowjackets were the scoring opportunities they did have.
Patton led off the bottom of the first by drawing a walk and stealing second and third. After a popout and a strikeout, Jonathan D'Alessio and Josh Butler each drew walks, but Koski got out of the bases-loaded jam with an infield popout.
Chapelgate had another opportunity in the fifth.
No. 9 hitter Steven Marvin reached on an error, advanced to third on a one-out double by Patton. Yellowjackets freshman catcher Dillon Story hit a line drive to right field that was just foul, and Koski closed the inning with a strikeout and groundball. One inning later, Butler chased Koski with a one-out double, but Hastings came on an ended the threat.
Patton also had to work out of a few jams. Sabres leadoff man Tucker Broujos singled on the first pitch of the game, reached third on a throwing error and scored on a single by Koski. Patton walked the bases loaded, but got out of trouble with a come-backer to the mound. The Sabres put runners in scoring position again in the second inning on a walk by No. 9 hitter Ryan Hollis and a Johnny Kleissas two-out single, but Patton got a ground-ball out to avoid further damage.
Saints Peter and Paul scored again in the fifth when Broujos drew a leadoff walk, stole second, and scored on a two-base error after a Kleissas bunt, before Story made a diving catch on a bunt attempt in front of the plate then doubled up Kleissas at second base.
The Sabres advanced runners to third in the sixth (Steven Evans leadoff single) and seventh (Broujos leadoff single), but Patton bared down to keep it a two-run game.
"Peter and Paul is an outright solid team. They have a lot of speed and they put the ball in play better than us," Story said.
Chapelgate last won the C Conference title in 2013, defeating St. John's, the defending champion.
"We'll get there, and it's still early in the league. We're all right," Story said. "I think we're good enough to be in the top four and if we start hitting the ball, we can win it."
SPP (3-0) 100 010 0 - 2 5 3
CCA (1-2) 000 000 0 - 0 3 2
Koski, Hastings (6) and Hastings, Broujos (6). Patton and Story.
2B: CCA — Baldwin, Patton and Butler.