A quick review of Riverside Brookfield’s recent success on the baseball field can be summarized in four words: Same story, different day. That’s the way RB coach Mike Ziroli describes the Bulldogs’ three-game winning streak.
“Our last three games [against Argo, Nazareth and Shepard] have been kind of the same story,” Ziroli said. “We have had strong starting pitching, we’re jumping out to early leads, and we’re making significantly less errors.”
This formula for success reached a high point April 7 against highly-regarded rival Nazareth. The Roadrunners entered the game with an unblemished 7-0 record and a No. 3 ranking in Class 3A by Prep Baseball Report, but visiting RB pulled off a 5-1 victory.
With the game tied at 1-1, the Bulldogs (5-4) posted four runs on the board in the fourth inning. That productive frame provided more than enough support for RB ace Jon Kleinmeyer (2-2, 1.12 ERA) who tossed a complete game, three-hitter while striking out eight.
On the season, Kleinmeyer has been in his own “K-zone” fanning 30 hitters over 25 innings pitched and holding an anemic .168 average.
With Kleinmeyer on the mound, Dave Lutz (.385 average) sparked the Bulldogs offensively with two hits and two RBIs. Scott Rysz, Marty Belchak, Joe Ruge, Billy VandeMerkt, Dylan Krug and Kleinmeyer also joined the hitting parade. Kyle Halverson and Rysz each stole a base, continuing to show the Bulldogs’ aggressive approach on the base paths (40 stolen bases in nine games).
“The win over Nazareth was a big one for us,” Ziroli said. “Nazareth is in our Class [3A] and in our sectional, so they are a team we could face down the road. It gives us a lot of confidence.”
Four days later, RB kept momentum on its side by rocking Shepard 9-1. The host Bulldogs scored five runs off three hits in the first inning for a 5-0 advantage.
Belchak started the scoring when he ripped a double that brought home VandeMerkt from second base. Scott Olsowka and Kevin Onischuk chipped in run-scoring singles, while Ruge was hit by a pitch and Jesse Favela drew a walk, both with the bases loaded, bringing two more runs across the plate.
“It seems like a new person is stepping up for us in different situations,” Ziroli said. “It’s been a good spread across the board for us offensively.”
RB starter Joe Ruge (2-1), who allowed only one hit and no earned runs, benefited from the Bulldogs’ early offense and improved defensive play in the field.
In addition to the talented tandem of Kleinmeyer and Ruge, Zak Martell (3.00 ERA, five strikeouts) and Jack Kincanon (1.00 ERA) have both thrown well this season.
Rysz is in the midst of a stellar campaign, posting team-highs in hitting (.417), hits (10) and stolen bases (8). Ruge is hitting .600 with runners in scoring position and leads the Bulldogs with nine RBIs. Krug is hitting .389, while VandeMerkt, Halverson and Onischuk have consistently taken extra bags combining for 18 stolen bases.