ALTON - Marquette Catholic's baseball team has followed the success of the basketball team into the season so far under head coach Tim Fahrnestock.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
The Explorers beat Calhoun twice on Saturday 5-1 and 10-1 at Hardin to improve to 4-1 on the season.
Calhoun fell to 4-2 after being swept.
Fahrnestock singled out Maag and Weinman for some key hitting in both games.
"Jason Maag had a heck of a day on Saturday and Zach tore it up at the plate," Fahrnestock said.
The Explorers have an array of pitchers, so they are adapting to the new IHSA-pitch count rule likely better than most teams.
"We are fortunate to have a pretty deep pitching staff," Fahrnestock said. "We have some good pitchers with experience and some excellent younger pitchers."
The Explorers' Nick Hemann is one for one at the plate for a .1000 average so far; Maag is batting .421 after five games and has five RBI and a home run. Jake Reiter is hitting .500, while Garrett Weiner is hitting .444 and Liam Maher's average stands at .357. Messinger has a .333 batting average, and Weinman is hitting .278, but has three RBI and a pair of doubles and has been solid in the first five games for the Explorers. Marquette's Sam Stemm has a .500 average with one hit in two at-bats.
Hurler Brady McAfee has a 1-0 mark and 10 strikeouts, Luke Simmons is 1-0 on the mound, while Mike Neel and Liam Maher have also picked up a win. Messinger, Hemann, Kyle Begnel and Adam Harrison have also had solid outings on the mound for the Explorers.
Saturday Roundup at Calhoun
Game 1
The Explorers scored three in the top of the seventh to break the game open and held the Warriors to a solo run in the seventh for the Game 1 win. Jayce Maag went 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored, with Nick Messenger 2-for-3, Ethan Kopsie 1-for-2 with a double, Liam Mather 1-for-4 with a double, Brady McAfee 1-for-1, Zach Weinman 1-for-4 with a double and run scored and Garrett Weiner a run scored.
Calhoun's Ty Bick was 1-for-2, while Conner Gilman 1-for-3, Wes Klocke 1-for-4 and Chandler Sievers 1-for-3 with a run scored.
The Explorers' Mike Neal got the win, striking out three; Easton Clark took the loss, striking out six.
Game 2
The Explorers exploded for five runs in the second inning of the nightcap, with Maag again having a big game, going 3-for-5 with a homer, three RBIs and three runs scored. The Explorers' Weinman was 2-for-4 with a RBI and run scored, Mather 1-for-4 with two RBIs, McAfee 1-for-4 with a run scored, Konnor Morrisey 1-for-2, Jake Reiter 1-for-2 and Kollin Morrisey three runs scored and John Blachford and Messinger a run scored each.
Calhoun's Brandon Baalman was 1-for-2 while Gilman was 1-for-2 with a double and run scored.
Marquette's Luke Simmons got the win, striking out three; Baalman took the loss.
Marquette next travels to Columbia for a 4:30 p.m. Wednesday game. The Warriors go to Pleasant Hill for a 4:30 p.m. Tuesday game, are at Staunton for a 4:30 p.m. Wednesday game. The Explorers are scheduled to return home at 4:30 Thursday against Bunker Hill.
