By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Senior Nick Lawlor hurled a complete game, and the Webster Schroeder Warriors used a big inning to top Churchville-Chili, 5-0 in Monroe County League crossover action, Monday night.
Lawlor tossed a three hitter striking out six and walking four as Webster won its fourth straight.
“He’s a horse,” Webster Schroeder head coach Matt Knight said. “He’s a guy that would like to pitch every single day. Tomorrow he’ll go out and he’ll try to long toss, and I’ll have to shut him down. and say hey you got to do your poles today.”
After allowing a two-out single in the first to his counterpart, Billy Sanborn, Lawlor did not surrender another hit until the fifth inning. The right-hander faced the minimum in three different innings.
“My slider was working pretty good,” Lawlor explained. “I was able to spot my fastball when I needed it, used it inside on O and two. Just throwing strikes to get ’em out.”
Webster got all the runs it needed in the fourth. Shane Marshall led with a single through the left side for the Warriors first hit of the night.
“It was first pitch, so I knew he was going to try and get ahead of me because I’m the third hitter (in the order),” Marshall said. “I knew he was going to throw a fastball down the middle. He gave it to me, so I just ripped it down the line.”
The junior stole second and moved to third on an error before Phil Ferranti delivered with an RBI sacrifice fly.
Webster used a two-out rally in the fifth to add four insurance runs.
With nobody aboard, Justin Graham dropped a bunt to the third base side of pitcher’s mound and beat the throw to first.
“Coach had been telling us that the third baseman’s been back the whole game,” Graham said. “So I looked down there and he was still way back at the grass. I thought I’d lay one down and get something going, and it worked out.”
Stephen Smith followed and worked a four-pitch walk. It appeared that Sanborn would escape the inning when he induced a routine pop up off the bat of Marshall, but the ball was lost in the lights and fell to the turf. The runners, taking off on contact, both scored.
Ferranti brought home another run with an RBI single through the box, and Zachary Jenkins made it 5-0 when he reached on an error.
“It was a good win,” Knight stated. “We keep taking steps forward. I got a good core of players. Guys are starting to buy into what we’re doing here. It’s just been a pleasure this year working with these guys. If we keep stepping forward, we’re going to be pretty good by the end of the season.”
Churchville loaded the bases in the seventh, but could not capitalize.
“They were tough,” Knight said Churchville. “They were in the game the whole game. Their energy was high the whole game. They’re scary. That’s a good team right there.”
Colin Coykendall collected two of Churchville’s three hits. The junior catcher led the fifth with a single through the left side. He also connected for a one-out base hit in the seventh.
“He’s really starting to become one of our better hitters,” Churchville coach Jake Dennstedt said. “One of the guys you rely on and hoping he’s up in a big spot.”
Marshall reached base three times.
Sanborn struck out six and walked four in 4.2 innings of work.
Webster improved to 11-3 with the win. The Warriors play cross-town rival Webster Thomas on Wednesday. A 4:30 p.m. first pitch is scheduled at Webster-Thomas High School.
Churchville-Chili falls to 7-8. The Saints host divisional rival Gates-Chili on Wednesday.
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