Eunice, LA – Long-time gain is often achieved through short-term pain. Garrett College head baseball coach Eric Hallenbeck hopes that will be the case with the Lakers' four-game series against unbeaten national power LSU-Eunice.
The host Bengals (21-0) swept a four-game weekend set from Garrett by a combined score of 43-4. GC saw the Bengals' two pitching aces – Owen Schexnaydre (6-0, 2.02 ERA) and Blake Lobell (5-0, 1.82 ERA) – as well as an offense that's hitting .310 as a team and averaging over 11 runs per game.
"Every pitcher they brought out was throwing 90-plus [miles per hour]," said Hallenbeck, whose young pitching staff was hurt by inconsistency. "We didn't pitch well. We had 43 walks. You can't give a team like that free passes."
Even so, Hallenbeck said taking on a team that's ranked second in the latest National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II poll was "a great experience."
"I'm hoping it's going to help us as we progress through the season," said Hallenbeck, adding, "I don't expect to see those kind of arms on a consistent basis."
Hallenbeck praised the relief work provided by Ethan Siebold, who replaced starter Dariel Walker during a five-run second inning of what became an 8-1 loss in Game 2 of the series. Siebold held the Bengals scoreless in three straight innings before LSU-Eunice tallied twice in the home sixth to break the game open.
"Ethan threw the ball pretty well pitching us into the sixth," said Hallenbeck.
Lance Vickers (2-for-4, two RBI), Jonathan Padgett (2-for-5, run), and Angel Oquendo (2-for-11) managed multiple hits off a Bengal pitching staff that's holding opposition hitters to a .169 batting average. Jacob Kennell was just 1-for-12, but Hallenbeck said he was the victim of some unlucky bounces.
"Jacob had good at bats all weekend," said Hallenbeck. "He hit the ball hard – they just made some good defensive plays against him."
The Lakers play their first NJCAA Division II Region 20 and Maryland Junior College Athletic Conference contests Saturday when they travel to CCBC-Dundalk for a noon doubleheader. GC then plays its next 10 games in Myrtle Beach, SC during its annual spring trip.
