Fatima took the opportunity of its first game action to do some evaluating.
The Fatima Comets went 0-2 in their first two games of the Jamboree on Tuesday at Vivion Field. The Comets lost 2-1 to the Helias Crusaders to start, then dropped an 8-4 game against the Blair Oaks Falcons. The Comets final game against the Jefferson City Jays was not available at print time.
“These are nice because you actually get to see pitching that’s not us,” Fatima coach Tyler VanGerpen said. “But it’s also hard to get any sort of looks because its three innings. There’s usually not much to go on, most of the time I’m doing a lot of evaluating of our kids and where we’re at and what we need to work on before the season gets going.”
Fatima took the initial lead in Game 1 when Blake Gentges led off the bottom of the first with a double down the left field line and hustled to beat the throw to the bag. Gentges stole third then scored on Jack Robertson’s sacrifice fly to left. But it was the lone run the Comets would score in the opening contest as Fatima went hitless in Innings 2 and 3.
“Hitting and pitching,” VanGerpen said with a laugh of what his team needs to work on before the start of the season Saturday. “This early in the season, nothing is going to be polished, and you kind of hope it’s not because you want to be polished at the end of the season. But we need pitchers throwing strikes, we just need more balls put in play and better at bats.”
Helias scored two runs in the second with some help from Fatima defensive issues to take the lead and the win.
Noah Jaegers, Connor Bax and Jacob Schulte each pitched an inning for Fatima. Jaegers allowed one hit and one walk, while striking out one. Bax gave up two hits and two runs, while striking out one. Schulte earned two groundouts and a lineout against the three batters he faced.
Pitching became a bigger issue for the Comets in Game 2, with Blair Oaks scoring six runs in the first and another two in the second.
“First game, we had nicer weather and some first-game excitement, it was a good game to see. The second game was a little harder,” VanGerpen said. “A lot of guys in the second game were new to the varsity level so it was a lot of learning, but we’ve got a veteran team coming back so we kind of have the knowledge of expectations.”
Fatima scored in the top of the first when Trevor Schulte singled, Jacob Schulte doubled and Jaegers hit a sacrifice fly.
The Comets added two more runs in the second after Sam Struemph singled, Trevor Schulte walked and Max Stuecken singled in Struemph before an error allowed Schulte to reach the plate.
Fatima scored a fourth run in the third when Bax walked, Landon Bassett singled and Cody Schwartze brought in Bax with a single.
Matthew Robertson, Jack Robertson, Hank Stuckenschneider and Logan Kliethermes split time on the mound in Game 2 for Fatima.
The Comets will open the regular season hosting a split doubleheader Saturday against Capital City and Boonville. The Comets will play Capital City at 10 a.m. and Boonville at 2 p.m.
See also:
Jays host baseball Jamboree at Vivion Field