In their first game, the Fatima Comets could muster little offense. In their second, they put some runs on the board.
But in both games, they did accomplish one of their biggest goals.
"We're here to compete, we're here to make us better," Fatima coach Scott Kilgore said after the Comets went 0-2 in Friday's opening day of the Capital City Invitational at the American Legion Post 5 Sports Complex.
"That's the most important thing for us right now. We didn't get a win, that would have been great. But we walk away stronger after today."
The Comets opened with a 2-0 loss Friday afternoon to the Hickman Kepwies. Fatima had baserunners in five of the seven innings, but only two got as far as second base.
"We just couldn't string any hits together," Kilgore said. "It's not like we struck out that much, we put the ball in play, we just hit it right at them. But that's baseball."
Hickman scored both of its runs in the fourth inning on four singles and two walks off Fatima senior starter Reid Kesel.
Kesel went six innings for the Comets, giving up just one other hit while he struck out six on 82 pitches.
"That was six innings of good solid pitching," Kilgore said.
Will Robertson struck out three in one inning of relief for the Comets.
"That was a great ballgame, a good pitching outing on both sides," Kilgore said.
In the second game Friday night, Fatima dropped a 7-4 decision to the Rockhurst Hawklets.
"At times we showed some life against an outstanding baseball team," Kilgore said.
Rockhurst took the lead with a run in the second inning and added three more in the fourth and another in the fifth to make it 5-0.
Fatima scored twice in the bottom of the fifth. Jared Schulte led off with a walk and moved to third on a John Fick double.
Logan Vogel then singled home Schulte before a double by Hunter Hennier plated Fick.
Rockhurst got those two runs back in the sixth before Fatima scored twice in the bottom of the seventh on a pair of walks, a stolen base and a wild pitch.
The Comets' offense was hampered by 10 strikeouts.
"We watched too many good pitches," Kilgore said. "We've got to start attacking pitches we know we can drive, that we can do something with."
Vogel took the loss. He pitched the first four innings, allowing five runs on seven hits and three walks. He struck out five while throwing 84 pitches.
"Logan started out good, but his pitch-count got up because he was going deep into the count with a lot of guys," Kilgore said. "But Rockhurst has a lot of disciplined hitters who can do that to you."
Tony Swarthout worked the final three innings. The sophomore gave up three runs on five hits and two walks with three strikeouts.
"He did a lot of good things, he was around the plate," Kilgore said.
Fatima (6-3) will face Eureka at 11:30 a.m. today in its final pool game before advancing to the final round in the afternoon.
"We'd love to get a couple of wins," Kilgore said. "To finish 2-2 would be an unbelievable outing in this tournament for us."
Both games will be at the Legion Complex.