No matter what happens this season with the Riverside Brookfield baseball team, several players will be playing the game at the next level.
In fact, the Bulldogs’ right fielder Marty Belchak (Culver-Stockton College), left fielder Pat Cullen (Aurora University), catcher Chris Catris (Elmhurst College) and pitcher/first baseman Jon Kleinmeyer (University Wisconsin-Parkside) all will continue their baseball careers at the collegiate level next season.
“I think it’s great,” said RB head coach Mike Ziroli. “It shows the rest of the team that hard work pays off. It’s good for underclassmen to see because these guys are role models on the team.”
In the interim, college can wait for the surging Bulldogs, who have reeled off six wins in their last eight games. During their productive run, RB has outscored the opposition 39-19.
The Bulldogs (8-6, 3-2 Metro Suburban Conference) won their opening conference series by taking two of three games against Ridgewood last week. After dropping the series opener 8-7 to the Rebels, RB roared back with 10-0 and 12-4 victories.
Belchak, who tallied a pair of home runs against Ridgewood, blasted a 415-foot grand slam to key RB’s 10-0 victory. In the series finale, Joe Ruge had three hits and two RBIs. Kyle Halverson (team-leading 12 steals) hit his first homer of the spring against Ridgewood. John Hearlston, a Neuqua Valley transfer, made an immediate impact for RB collecting six RBIs in four games.
“John came up to the plate with a lot of runners in scoring position and did the job,” said Ziroli, whose team is batting .306 with 57 stolen bases. “That’s been a bright spot this season. We have had different guys step up and contribute.”
Kleinmeyer (2-4, 2.01 ERA, 42 strikeouts) tossed a complete game and struckout seven during the Bulldogs’ 7-0 loss at Elmwood Park on Saturday. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs scratched out only three hits and committed three errors behind Kleinmeyer.
“Jon is just not catching any breaks,” Ziroli said. “Although he has had some losses, he has really battled. Jon does a good job of picking up the other players. He’s not the type to blame anybody else.”
In the second game of the twin bill against the defending conference champion Tigers, RB hit early and often en route to another convincing 10-0 victory.
“We came out flat in both openers [against Ridgewood and Elmwood Park],” Ziroli said. “Then, we win the next game in both series, 10-0. It just shows that when we are focused, we certainly can compete with other teams.”
Scott Olsowka drove in three runs, while Kevin Onischuk, Joe Ruge, Billy VandeMerkt, Catris and Hearlston contributed two hits apiece.
Zak Martell (2-1, 1.75 ERA) struckout six batters over five scoreless innings. Rob Frampton (0.00 ERA, 10 strikeouts, save), who has been spectacular out of the bullpen, fanned five hitters in the last two innings to seal the win.