BULLDOG BASEBALL SCHEDULE BULLDOGS UPSET GLENBARD WEST WITH 14 HITS Bulldog Baseball (9-12) defeated Glenbard West by a score of 13-5 in the first round of the IHSBCA's summer state tournament. Joe Ruge threw a complete game and added an RBI double to help the Bulldogs upset the #4 seed (RB was seeded #13). Shortstop Dave Lutz led the defense making several nice plays and a diving catch. Lutz also added a base hit. Billy VandeMerkt led the offense going 3-3 and being hit by a pitch. Kevin Onischuk, Scott Rysz, Jesse Favela, and Alex Cebular all had 2 hits each and Nick Marra also added a hit. The Dogs advance to the second round and will play 5th seeded Fenwick Academy tomorrow (7/15) at 2:30 at the Priory in Oak Park. Zak Martell is scheduled to start on the mound for RB. BULLDOG BASEBALL FINISHES REGULAR SUMMER SEASON Bulldog Baseball improved to 7-10 this week with an impressive 10-2 win over Fenwick, an 11-0 win over Gordon Tech, and a tough 4-6 loss to Oak Park. Joe Ruge, Kevin Onischuk, Dave Lutz, John Hearlston, Scott Rysz, and Jesse Favela have continually anchored the offensive and defensive efforts this summer and Ruge, Zak Martell, Jon Prihodka, and Alex Brown have all pitched very well. The Dogs will compete in the Inaugural Astro Wood Bat Classic that begins today at Shepard High school versus Lockport at 2:00 and Argo at 4:30. The Astro Wood Bat Classic will finish up at Standard Bank Stadium on Sunday (7/13) with the Bulldogs playing Tinley Park at 1:30. Standard Bank Stadium is the home of the 2007 Frontier League Champion Windy City Thunderbolts. Tickets are $3 and directions can be found on the Thunderbolt's website. The Bulldogs will also begin the first round of the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association's summer state tournament on Monday (7/14) against Glenbard West at 2:00. The game will be played at Glenbard West's field which is located just south of the Lambert and Roosevelt intersection on Lambert. The winner will take on either Fenwick or Driscoll the following day. (updated 7/11/08) BULLDOG SUMMER BASEBALL FINISHES FIRST WEEK Bulldog Baseball (2-2) finished its' first week of a 26 game summer schedule going 2-2 on the week with wins against Kenwood Academy and DeLaSalle and losses to Nazareth Academy and DeLaSalle. Top returning seniors are All-Metro Suburban Conference MVP Joe Ruge (1B/RHP), John Hearlston (3B, All-MSC), Kevin Onischuk (2B, All-MSC), Dave Lutz (SS), Scott Rysz (CF), Jack Kincanon (LHP), and Zak Martell (RHP). Today's win against DeLaSalle was highlighted by Scott Rysz's bases loaded clearing triple and junior Alex Brown's 8 striekouts in 3 2/3 innings. Returning outfielders Jesse Favela and Billy VandeMerkt have made significant defensive contributions and incoming junior pitchers Matt Kenehan and Charlie Rock showed promise. Returning left-handed pitcher Jon Prihodka also threw 3 dominant innings against Kenwood Academy. updated 6/13/08 2008 BULLDOG BASEBALL SUMMER SCHEDULE RELEASED Click on the summer schedule link on the sidebar to see the Bulldog's 2008 summer schedule. This summer's schedule currently features 26 games, an IHSBCA summer state tournament appearance, and a matchup against Tinley Park on Sunday 7/13 at Standard Bank Field in Crestwood at 1:30. BULLDOG BASEBALL FINISHES IN IHSA CLASS 3A "SWEET 16" Bulldog Baseball (23-13) lost to a talented Glenbard South team in the Sectional Championship by a score of 7-0. Joe Ruge (8-3, 2.26ERA, 51K) threw his RB record-tying 10th complete game. Scott Rysz (.359, 14RBI, 17SB) had a single and stolen base, Ruge (.440, 40RBI) added a single and Pat Cullen (.222, 8RBI, 8SB) had a double and single. Kyle Halverson stole his 26th base of the season. Congrats 2008 Bulldog Baseball on a great season! Final team stats and records coming soon! updated 6/2/08 BULLDOGS ADVANCE TO SECTIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!!! Bulldog Baseball (23-12) advances to the IHSA class 3A sectional championship game for the first time in school history. Jon Kleinmeyer (9-4, 1.39ERA, 93K) threw an 8-inning complete game shutout as the Bulldogs won 1-0 against Wheaton Academy in the sectional semifinal round. Kleinmeyer threw just 98 pitches, scattered 4 hits, struck out 6, and walked none in his school record 10th complete game and his third consecutive shutout. Kleinmeyer also tied the school record for wins (9) and has 5 shutouts on the season. Scott Rysz (.364, 14RBI, 16SB), Marty Belchak (.338, 18RBI), Kevin Onischuk (.345, 17RBI, 11SB) all had hits. Dave Lutz (.351,13RBI) extended his hitting streak to 9 games and John Hearlston (.353, 24RBI) provided a 2-out, bases loaded, RBI single in the bottom of the 8th inning to win the game for the Dogs. Hearlston is hitting .567 on the season with runners in scoring position. The Dogs advance to the "sweet 16" of the IHSA class 3A state tournament and will face the winner of Guerin Prep and Glenbard South at Nazareth this Saturday (5/31) at 10AM for the Bulldogs first ever sectional championship game. updated 5/29 BULLDOGS WIN IHSA REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!!! RB (22-12) beat Elmwood Park 7-2 in the Regional championship at Elmwood Park today. Joe Ruge (8-2, 2.03ERA) went the distance tying teammate Jon Kleinmeyer's single season complete game record of 9. Ruge was two outs away from RB's second consecutive no-hitter and ended up with a 2-hitter, 12K's, 0 earned runs, and 3BB. Ruge (.457 40RBI) was 2 for 4 on the day with an RBI double, both hits came with runners in scoring position (RISP) which raised his RISP average to an incredible .706 on the season. The Dogs had four RBI triples on the day from Scott Rysz (.368,14RBI, 15SB), Marty Belchak (.328, 18RBI), John Hearlston (.354, 23RBI), and Dave Lutz (.352, 13RBI). Rysz, Dylan Krug (.396,17RBI), and Chris Catris (.311, 11RBI) all added singles. Bulldog Baseball will face Wheaton Academy on Wednesday (5/28) at 4:30 at Nazareth Academy for the Sectional semi-final game with Jon Kleinmeyer (8-4, 1.54ERA, 87K) scheduled to pitch. updated through 5/28 KLEINMEYER'S 11K NO-HITTER WINS REGIONAL SEMIFINAL Bulldog Baseball (21-12) beat North Grand by a score of 12-0 in 5 innings in the Elmwood Park Regional Semifinal round. Jon Kleinmeyer (8-4, 1.54ERA, 87K) dominated North Grand striking out 11 and yielding no hits or walks for his second no-hitter of the year which ties a 1963 record. The Wisconsin-Parkside bound senior accomplished this feat while throwing just 52 pitches and his only baserunner reached on an error. Joe Ruge (.456, 39RBI) broke Tim Aurrichio's 1996 school record of 38 RBI on a 2RBI double in the bottom of the 4th inning. Scott Rysz (.363, 14RBI, 15SB) also had a big day going 2 for 3 with a homerun with 2 RBI and 3 runs scored. John Hearlston (.355, 21RBI) ripped an RBI triple and Marty Belchak (.328, 17RBI), Dave Lutz (.348, 12RBI), Rob Frampton (.346, 7RBI) and Chris Catris (.310, 11RBI) all added hits and drove in a run with Belchak driving in 2. The Dogs will face Elmwood Park this Saturday (5/24) at 1PM at Elmwood Park with Joe Ruge (7-2, 2.29ERA) starting in the regional final. updated 5/23 RUGE'S 2-HIT SHUTOUT DELIVERS BULLDOG'S 20TH WIN Joe Ruge (7-2, 2.29ERA) threw a complete game 2-hit shutout against the West Suburban Gold conference champion Leyden Eagles . Ruge (.460, 37RBI) also had an RBI single to put the Bulldogs (20-12) ahead 1-0 in the 3rd inning and Scott Rysz (.352, 12RBI, 15SB) added an RBI on a sacrifice fly for a final score of 2-0. John Hearlston (350, 20RBI) was 2-3 and Marty Belchak (.328, 15RBI) stroked a double while Dave Lutz (.343, 11RBI) and Rob Frampton (.340) also added hits. RB lost on Saturday to Lincoln-Way Central (5/17) 3-1 despite another impressive effort by junior Zak Martell (2-3, 3.15ERA). Rysz had 2 hits and Ruge, Hearlston, Belchak, Lutz, and Frampton all hit safely. The Bulldogs will face the winner of Crane and North Grand on Wednesday (5/21) in the opening round of the Elmwood Park Regional tournament with Jon Kleinmeyer (7-4, 1.66ERA) slated to pitch. updated 5/20 RUGE EARNS METRO SUBURBAN CONFERENCE MVP HONORS Junior captain Joe Ruge has been a leader on the mound, in the field, at the plate, and off of the field for the Bulldogs. He has been a major contributor to the RB's success this season with his precision pitching, clutch hitting, and consistent defense. Joe Ruge's conference stats- .538AVG, HR, 16RBI, .600 OBP, 10R, .688AVG with runners in scoring position (RISP) 1.000 FAV 3-0, 0.82ERA, 17IP, 17K, 5BB, .200AVG against All-Metro Suburban Conference Players (conf stats) Joe Ruge (Jr.) Kevin Onischuk (Jr.)- .444AVG, 12RBI, 4SB, .565OBP, .545RISP John Hearlston (Jr.)- .382AVG, 15RBI, .432OBP, .647RISP Dylan Krug (Sr.)- .423AVG, HR, 10RBI, .464OBP, .600RISP Kyle Halverson (Sr.)- .500AVG, 3HR, 6RBI, 16SB, .538OBP, .600RISP FENWICK DEFEATS BULLDOGS Bulldog Baseball (19-11, 11-4) dropped today's game to the Fenwick Friars 8-2. The Dogs came out of the gates strong with Scott Rysz (.358, 11RBI 15SB) and Kevin Onischuk (.382, 17RBI, 10SB) both ripping singles and Joe Ruge (.469, 35RBI) doubling in Rysz. With Onischuk on 3rd and Ruge on 2nd base with no outs and a 1-0 lead, the Dogs went down with 3 straight strikeouts. Starter Jack Kincanon (3-1, 2.26ERA, 23K) went 1.7 innings and gave up 4 hits, 2BB, 1HP, with 3K and 6 runs (1 earned). Rob Frampton (0-1, 2.76ERA, 20K) threw the final 4.3 innings giving up 2 runs on 3 hits while striking out 6 and walking one. Ruge and Onischuk were both 2 for 4 on the day and Dave Lutz (.339, 11RBI) was 2 for 3. Dylan Krug (.392, 16RBI) added a single and RBI and John Hearlston (.333, 19RBI) doubled. The Bulldogs travel to Lincoln-Way Central on Saturday for the inaugural game on LWC's brand new field with a varsity game at 11AM and junior varsity game at 1PM. Zak Martell (2-2, 3.05ERA) will start game 1 and Jon Prihodka will start game 2. updated 5/15 DOGS DEFEAT STRONG GUERIN TEAM Bulldog Baseball (19-10, 11-4) beat a tough Guerin Prep team 2-1 at Guerin behind another excellent pitching performance by Jon Kleinmeyer (7-4, 1.66ERA, 76K). Kleinmeyer went the distance for his 8th complete game of the year striking out 9, walking just 2, and scattering 8 hits. This is a big win for RB who is seeded #4 in the Nazareth sectional as Guerin Prep is the #2 seed. Dave Lutz (.322, 11RBI) led the offense going 2-3 with a triple. Kyle Halverson (.390, 3HR, 24SB), extended his hitting streak to 12 games and Scott Rysz (.354,11RBI, 15SB), Kevin Onischuk (.375, 17RBI, 10SB), Joe Ruge (.468, 34RBI), Dylan Krug (.404, 15RBI), John Hearlston (.333, 19RBI), and Jesse Favela (.304, 9SB) also adding hits. Ruge and Hearlston each added an RBI. The Dogs face the Fenwick Friars tomorrow (5/15) at the Priory with Jack Kincanon (3-0, 2.15ERA) pitching for the Bulldogs. updated 5/14 DOGS BATTLE BUT COME UP SHORT Bulldog Baseball (18-10, 11-4) dropped their final Metro Suburban Conference game (5/12) against Elmwood Park by a final score of 1-0. Zak Martell (2-2) had a no-hitter going but the Tigers broke it up with 2 hits in the bottom of the 6th inning. Martell struck out 6, walked 3, and hit two batters. Kyle Halverson (.395, 24SB) had a drag bunt single and 2 stolen bases. Dave Lutz (.304, 11RBI) added a hit and Chris Catris (.370, 10RBI) slammed a triple in the top of the 7th but was left stranded. The Dogs lost 11-8 today (5/13) to a St. Ignatius team that is ranked #20 by Prep Baseball Report. Joe Ruge (6-2, 2.63ERA) battled through another complete game against a strong offensive team. The Dogs were down 8-1 by the 5th inning but battled back in the late innings with 9 total hits on the day. Ruge (.473, 33RBI) was 4-4 with two doubles and two RBI. John Hearlston (.340, 18RBI) jumped on a fastball in the 6th inning for his first homerun of the year. Lutz doubled in 2 RBI and Catris also doubled in the 6th inning. Halverson and Scott Rysz (.360, 11RBI, 15SB) each added hits with Halverson stealing his team-leading 24th base and extending his hitting streak to 11 games. Jon Kleinmeyer (6-4, 1.73ERA, 67K) will start for the Bulldogs tomorrow at sectional rival Guerin Prep. updated 5/13/08 BULLDOGS WIN METRO SUBURBAN CONFERENCE TITLE Bulldog Baseball (18-8, 11-3) clinched the Metro Suburban Conference title this week with an 8-0 win over the Elmwood Park Tigers for their 8th straight victory. Jon Kleinmeyer (6-4, 1.85ERA, 67K's, 13BB) picked up the win throwing a shutout for his 6th complete game while scattering 3 hits, fanning 7 and walking only one. Billy VandeMerkt (.279, 10RBI, 10SB) was 2-3 with 2RBI and Scott Rysz (.382, 11RBI, 15SB), Joe Ruge (.463, 31RBI), Chris Catris (.357,10RBI), Kyle Halverson (.406, 21SB) Rob Frampton (.326), Jon Kleinmeyer (.304), and Dave Lutz (.300, 9RBI) all added hits. The Dogs split with Fenton on senior day (5/10) losing the opener 4-5. Davis Baer (1-1, 2.10ERA, 10K) got the loss going 5 innings and giving up 9 hits while striking out 4, walking 2, and giving up 3 earned runs. Rob Frampton (0-1, 2.52ERA, 13K,1S) closed out the game with 2 innings of scoreless relief. Dylan Krug (.439, 15RBI) added a 2-3 performance with an RBI. Kyle Halverson extended his hitting streak to 9 games and Rob Frampton also added a hit. In the second game the Dogs responded with an 11-1 (6 inn) win over the Bison. Jack Kincanon (3-0, 2.15ERA, 20K, 10BB) threw his 2nd straight complete game striking out 6, yielding only 3 hits, and walking 1. Opponent's are hitting just .177 off of Kincanon this season. Joe Ruge was 2-2 with an RBI, Kevin Onischuk (.406, 17RBI, 10SB) was 2-3 with 3RBI, and John Hearlston (.375, 17RBI) was 3-4 with an RBI. Scott Rysz, Jesse Favela (.300, 9SB), and Dan Gates (.313) all added hits. RB's final Metro Suburban Conference game will be Monday (5/12) at Elmwood Park with Zak Martell (2-1) scheduled to start. updated 5/11 THREE MORE DOGS JOIN COLLEGE BASEBALL RANKS Kyle Halverson, Rob Frampton, and Scott Olsowka will join Jon Kleinmeyer (University of Wisconsin-Parkside), Marty Belchak (Culver-Stockton College), Chris Catris (Elmhurst College), and Pat Cullen (Aurora University) in continuing their baseball careers beyond Bulldog Baseball. Halverson will join teammate Chris Catris at Elmhurst College to play for Coach Joel Southern. The Bluejays are currently 12-28 and 5-16 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW). Rob Frampton committed to Concordia University and will play for Coach Spiro Lempesis. The Cougars are 29-11 and 15-7 in NAC conference play. Scott Olsowka committed to Dominican University and will join former Bulldog Keith Halverson (Kyle's brother). The Stars are 17-19 overall and 10-12 in the NAC conference. RUGE'S GRAND SLAM SECURES DOGS 7TH STRAIGHT Joe Ruge (6-1, 2.00ERA) threw a complete game striking out 9, scattering 7 hits, yielding 1 earned run, and walking only one in the Bulldog's 10-5 conference win over Elmwood Park. Ruge (.467, 29RBI) also drilled a grand slam home run in the bottom of the 4th inning to put the Dogs ahead 8-4. Bulldog Baseball (16-7, 9-2) banged out 9 hits on the day. Scott Rysz (.407 ,11RBI, 14SB) also slammed a solo homer in the bottom of the 6th inning and was 2-4 with a spectacular catch in the outfield. Kevin Onischuk (.400, 14RBI, 8SB) was 2-3 with 2 runs scored and Dylan Krug (.471,13RBI) continued his 9 game hit streak with a 2-3 performance with a RBI. Dave Lutz (.318, 9RBI) added a single and RBI and Kyle Halverson (.423, 18SB) slammed a triple and leads the team with a slugging percentage of 1.077. Bulldog Baseball has won 14 of their last 17 games and face Elmwood Park again tomorrow at Elmwood with Jack Kincanon (2-0, 2.40ERA) on the mound for the Dogs. updated 4/6/08 RB SCORES 33 RUNS IN DOUBLEHEADER SWEEP Bulldog Baseball (15-7, 8-2) won their 6th straight game by defeating the Ridgewood Rebels today (5/3) at Brookfield's Ehlert Park. The Rebels jumped out to an early 3 run lead in the first inning off of starter Zak Martell (2-1) but the Dogs responded with 4 first inning runs of their own. Jon Kleinmeyer (5-4), who was originally scheduled to throw only a couple of innings in between starts today, came in relief and shut the door striking out 7 in the final 5.3 innings. Bulldog Baseball went on to win by a score of 17-7 in a 6-inning errorless game behind a consistently potent offense that is hitting .350 as a team, and .398 with runners in scoring position with 81 stolen bases this year. Scott Rysz (.400, 10RBI, 14SB) was 3-4 with a double, 3RBI, and a stolen base. Joe Ruge (.482, 25RBI) and Chris Catris (.452, 9RBI) continued their hot hitting with each of them having 3 hits in the past 3 games. Ruge was 3-5 with 3RBI and Catris was 3-4 with 3RBI. John Hearlston (.364, 16RBI) continued his clutch hitting with a 2-3 performance with a double and 2RBI and is hitting .611 with runners in scoring position this season. Kyle Halverson (.435, 18SB) was 2-3 with 2 stolen bases. The hits continued into the second game with 8 new Bulldogs taking the field for the conference series finale with the Rebels. Davis Baer (1-0) made his first varsity start and was dominant on the mound striking out 5 and giving up 0 earned runs in the 16-2 five inning affair. Dan Gates (.286), Pat Cullen (.216), Rob Frampton (.317), Billy Vermillion (.273), and Scott Olsowka (.154) all added hits but the stories of game 2 were seniors Kyle Halverson and Dylan Krug (.452, 12RBI). Halverson continued to operate in enfuego mode as he was 3-4 with 2 homeruns and 4RBI and Krug extended his 8 game hitting streak by going 4-4 with a double, homerun, and 5RBI. Pitchers Zak Martell, Jon Prihodka, Davis Baer, and Jack Kincanon all got their first at-bats of the year and all were successful. Martell and Prihodka added hits and Kincanon and Baer added RBI's on a sac fly and a walk respectively. On the day, the Dogs were an amazing 25 for 27 with runners in scoring position for a RISP average of .926. DOGS TAKE CONTROL OF METRO SUBURBAN Bulldog Baseball (13-7, 6-2) beat Fenton today 3-1 at Redmond Athletic Complex in Bensenville to take the lead in the Metro Suburban Conference. Jack Kincanon (2-0, 2.40ERA) got the win throwing a complete game and striking out 3,walking one, and yielding 4 hits. Kyle Halverson (.313, 16SB) was 2-3 with a triple, stolen base, and 2 runs scored. Jesse Favela (.333, 7SB), Dylan Krug (.370, 7RBI), and Rob Frampton (.308) also added hits. Bulldog Baseball resumes conference play tomorrow (5/3) with a doubleheader against Ridgewood starting at 10am at Ehlert Park's north field. BULLDOGS GET #1 REGIONAL SEED Bulldog Baseball received a #4 seed overall out of 21 teams in the Nazareth sectional of the IHSA class 3A state tournament. That means that the Dogs will be a #1 seed at the Elmwood Park regional with Elmwood Park and two other teams to be determined. Click on sectional information on sidebar for future updates and for seeding list. BULLDOGS BEAT FENTON, LEAD METRO SUBURBAN Joe Ruge (5-1, 2.20ERA) pitched a 5 inning complete game against Fenton giving up just 1 run and fanning 5 as the Bulldogs went on to defeat the Bison 12-1. RB (12-7 ,5-2) now shares the lead for the Metro Suburban Conference and will face Fenton tomorrow in Bensenville for the outright lead. Ruge was also 3-3 for the second day in a row and is currently leading the team in average (.471), RBI (22), and average with runners in scoring position (.733). Chris Catris (.407) was also 3-3 and Dave Lutz (.351), John Hearlston (.333, 14RBI), and Marty Belchak (.347,14RBI, 2HR) all had 2 hits each. Bulldog Baseball had 12 hits on the day and are currently hitting .347 as a team. Riverside Brookfield have won 10 of their last 13 games outscoring opponents 112-47 during that span. Jack Kincanon (1-0, 3.00ERA) will start for the Dogs tomorrow (5/1). RB BEATS FENTON IN SERIES OPENER 7-4 Bulldog Baseball (11-7, 4-2) defeated conference leading Fenton today (4/29) after scoring 3 runs in the first inning. Scott Rysz (.375, 12SB) led off the game with a walk followed by a Kevin Onischuk (.408, 8SB, 8RBI) single and a Joe Ruge (.438, 21RBI) gap-shot that scored them both. Ruge was 3-3 on the day with 3RBI and is hitting an amazing .692 with runners in scoring position. Onischuk was 3-4 with a stolen base and Rysz was 2-3 with a double and a triple. Senior outfielder Pat Cullen (.212, 8RBI) also added a triple and an RBI with John Hearlston (.308, 11RBI), Dave Lutz (.324), and Jon Kleinmeyer (.353) all adding hits. Kleinmeyer (4-4, 1.74ERA, 53K) pitched 6 innings giving up just one earned run on 4 hits, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts. Zak Martell (2-1, 2.50ERA) closed out the final inning. Joe Ruge (4-1, 2.33ERA) is scheduled to pitch tomorrow (4/30) at Ehlert Park in Brookfield for the 2nd game in a three game series against Fenton. A Bulldog win would mean a tie for the Metro Suburban Conference lead. BULLDOG BASEBALL PLAYS ERRORLESS BALL!!! It may have taken 17 games but Bulldog Baseball (10-7, 3-2) finally had their first flawless effort in the field. Dave Lutz led the defensive charge with 5 assists and a putout at shortstop. Lutz (.323) was also 1-3 with an RBI in Riverside Brookfield's 11-0 win against the St. Joseph's Chargers. Jon Kleinmeyer (3-4, 1.82ERA, 49K, 42.33IP, 7BB) picked up the win as he allowed only 3 hits and no free passes while striking out 7 in the five inning game. Kleinmeyer (.355) also added a hit and a walk to support his cause. Scott Rysz (.356, 12SB) was 2-3 with a triple, RBI and stolen base while John Hearlston (.292, 10RBI) was 2-3 with 2RBI and a stolen base. Hearlston is hitting .500 with runners in scoring position. Billy VandeMerkt (.303, 10SB) was also 2-3 with 2RBI and a stolen base. Kevin Onischuk (.378), Joe Ruge (.400, 18RBI), Chris Catris (.348), and Billy Vermillion all added hits to support the Dogs. Bulldog Baseball's offensive team stats are very impressive as they are averaging 7.29 runs per game while hitting .328 as a squad and .343 with runners in scoring position. On the mound, RB is giving up only 2.71 earned runs per game and opponent's are hitting just .212 against Bulldog hurlers. Belchak's catch seems to have spurred a defensive outburst. If the Dogs can maintain high performance defense they will continue to be a tough team to beat. The Dogs play the Metro Suburban Conference leading Fenton Bison at Fenton on Tuesday (4/29) for the opening game of a 3 game conference series. BELCHAK'S CATCH, STRONG OFFENSE, Dogs fall short to Naz Bulldog Baseball (9-7, 3-2) lost 9-11 to Nazareth Academy despite a potent offensive showing and a spectacular catch by right fielder Marty Belchak. Belchak ran full speed and head first into the right field fence managing to hang on to the ball despite falling to the ground and blood oozing from his left eye. Belchak left the game in an ambulance and received 6 stitches at a local hospital but is expected to return next week against Metro Suburban Conference leading Fenton. Rob Frampton (0-1) got the loss for the Dogs with Jack Kincanon (1-0) and Zak Martell (1-1) also contributing on the mound. Bulldog Baseball continued to struggle defensively as they committed 6 errors on the day. The Dogs are averaging almost 4.5 errors a game. The Dogs take on St. Joe's tomorrow (4/25) at RB @ 4:15 with Jon Kleinmeyer (2-4, 2.01ERA) scheduled to pitch. BULLDOGS WIN 12-5 OVER WALTHER LUTHERAN Bulldog Baseball (9-6, 3-2) defeated Walther Lutheran by slugging out 12 runs behind 15 hits while Joe Ruge (4-1, 2.33ERA) pitched a complete game giving up 6 hits and just 2 earned runs. The Dogs have won 7 of their last 9 games and are currently hitting .316 as a team while scoring 10+ runs in four out of their last five games. Chris Catris (.313) led the offense going 3-4 with 3RBI and 2 runs scored. Joe Ruge (.385, 15RBI) added 2 hits and 3RBI and Dave Lutz (.333) and Billy VandeMerkt (.286, 9SB) had 2 hits each. Pat Cullen added two stolen bases increasing the team total to 61 this season. The Bulldogs take on the Roadrunners at Nazareth tomorrow at 2:30 with Jack Kincanon (1-0, 2.15ERA) scheduled to pitch and then play St. Joe's at RB on Friday at 4:15 with Jon Kleinmeyer (2-4, 2.01ERA) on the hill for the Dogs. DOGS SPLIT DOUBLEHEADER WITH ELMWOOD PARK Bulldog Baseball (8-6, 3-2) lost the opener against Elmwood Park 0-7 and responded by winning the second game 10-0 against the defending Metro Suburban Conference champions. The Bulldogs have won 6 of their last 8 games and have outscored opponents 39 to 19 during that span. This marks the second series in a row in which the Bulldogs have lost the opener and then went on to win 10-0 in the next game. Jon Kleinmeyer (2-4, 2.06ERA, 42K, 37.3IP) took another tough loss throwing a complete game and only surrendering 2ER while striking out 7 and walking just one. Three errors by the defense and only three hits and no runs by the offense proved to be a fatal combination in the opening game. Kevin Onischuk (.395), Joe Ruge (.371), Billy VandeMerkt, Chris Catris, and John Hearlston (.294) all had 2 hits a piece in the second game. Scott Olsowka added a double, 3RBI, and a stolen base while Kyle Halverson improved his team leading stolen base total to 12. Zak Martell (2-1, 1.75ERA, 11K, 12IP) got the win while striking out 6 in five shutout innings. Rob Frampton (0.00ERA, 10K, 4.7IP, 1S) closed it out while striking out 5 batters in the final 2 innings. Bulldog Baseball continues to show signs of a great team but needs improvement on consistency and competitiveness at times. With hard work and increased focus the Dogs should remain competitive throughout the season. The Bulldogs will face class 2A powerhouse Walther Lutheran on monday (4/21) at 4:30 at RB with Joe Ruge (3-1, 2.43ERA, 16K, 23IP) scheduled to pitch. BULLDOG BASEBALL TAKES RIDGEWOOD SERIES RB (7-5, 2-1) won the Metro Suburban Conference opening series this week by taking the final two games of a 3 game series against the. Ridgewood Rebels. One highlight of the series were 2 homeruns from Marty Belchak (.324, 2HR, 13RBI) which included a GPS measured 415 foot grand slam in the second game. Joe Ruge (.367, 11RBI) added a 3-3, 2RBI performance in the final game. John Hearlston (.333) had a breakout debut racking up 5 RBI in the final two games Kyle Halverson added to the offensive attack by hitting his first homerun of the year and stealing his team leading 10th base. The Bulldogs have won five of their last six games and are hitting .316 as a team with 53 stolen bases. Bulldog pitchers have also been throwing well with a team ERA of 2.79 and opponent's hitting just .208 off our hurlers. Kleinmeyer (2-3, 31.3IP, 2.01ERA, 35K) has been the workhorse of the staff and really battled in the Dogs series opening 7-8 loss. Ruge (3-1, 23IP, 2.43ERA, 16K) and Jack Kincanon (1-0, 13IP, 2.15ERA, 11K) picked up wins in the final 2 games as Bulldog Baseball won 10-0 and 12-4 respectively. Rob Frampton (0.00ERA, 2.7IP, 5K, 1S) has been dominant out of the bullpen and will play an important role as the Dogs begin to play down the stretch. RB resumes Metro Suburban Conference action this weekend (4/19) with a 10am doubleheader at Elmwood Park with Kleinmeyer and Zak Martell (1-1, 7IP, 3.00ERA, 5K) scheduled to pitch. BULLDOGS SIGN THREE MORE TO COLLEGE RANKS Marty Belchak, Chris Catris, and Pat Cullen all joined Jon Kleinmeyer (University Wisconsin-Parkside) in continuing their baseball career beyond RBHS and into the college ranks. Marty Belchak signed a baseball scholarship to play at Culver-Stockton College (NAIA) in Canton, Missouri. Marty will play for the Wildcats under Coach Chris Terry and compete in the Heartland of America Athletic Conference (HAAC). Currently the Wildcats are 13-7 in HAAC play and 23-8 overall. Pat Cullen committed to Aurora University (NCAA Div. III) to compete next year in the Northern Athletics Conference. Pat will play for Coach Shaun Nietzel as the Spartans compete for their 6th conference championship since 2000. The Spartans have reached the NCAA Div. III World Series in 04' and 06' and are currently 7-3 in conference play and 14-10 overall. Chris Catris committed to Elmhurst College (NCAA Div. III) to play for Coach Joel Southern. The Bluejays compete in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) and are currently 3-6 in conference and 8-12 overall. DOGS BEAT SHEPARD WITH BIG FIRST INNING RB (5-4) took advantage of Shepard's pitching with 3 hits and 5 runs in the first inning. Joe Ruge (2-1) gave up just 2 hits with no walks and no earned runs in Bulldog Baseball's 9-1 win (3rd straight). Ruge was also active at the plate going 1-3 with a double and 3 RBI improving his team high RBI total to 9. Marty Belchak went 1-3 with a SB, RBI and 2 runs scored. Pat Cullen hit an RBI triple while scoring 2 runs and Jesse Favela, Dylan Krug, and Kevin Onischuk all added hits. Scott Olsowka and Chris Catris had strong defensive efforts and Billy VandeMerkt stole 3 bases on the day. Baserunning specialist Kyle Halverson added a stolen base and run scored while the Bulldogs upped their season total to 40 stolen bases. Jon Kleinmeyer was hit by a pitch and walked twice. Kleinmeyer is scheduled to pitch in the conference opening game against rival Ridgewood on Tuesday 4/15. The Dog's games against Glenbard South for today (4/12) have been cancelled due to weather. DOGS UPSET NAZARETH WITH 5-1 WIN RB (4-4) upset undefeated Nazareth today behind another strong pitching performance from Jon Kleinmeyer (7IP, 1ER, 8K, 4H, 2BB). The Roadrunners were ranked #3 in the state (3A) by Prep Baseball Report but an unranked Bulldog offense secured a 5-1 lead in the 4th inning. Timely hits combined with solid defense and Kleinmeyer's precision prevented this game from slipping away. This is a big win for Bulldog baseball whose Dave Lutz (.385) led the offense going 2-2 with a 2RBI double. Other Bulldogs with base hits were Scott Rysz (.417), Dylan Krug (.400), Jon Kleinmeyer (.294), Billy VandeMerkt (.267), Marty Belchak (.261) and Joe Ruge (.222) who is hitting .667 with runners in scoring position and leads the team with 6RBI. Stolen bases from Rysz (8) and Kyle Halverson (5) increased the team total to 34 on the season. Ruge (1-1, 4.67) will start on the mound for the Bulldogs this Thursday at Walther Lutheran and Jack Kincanon (1-0, 1.00ERA) will face Shepard this Friday at Ehlert Park’s North Field. RB closes out the week with a double header against Glenbard South this Saturday at Ehlert Park North with Kleinmeyer (2-2, 1.12ERA) and Zak Martell (1-1, 3.00ERA) scheduled to start. BULLDOGS END WEEK WITH WIN AGAINST ARGO Bulldog baseball ended their week with a win against Argo to improve their record to 3-4 overall. The Bulldogs won 8-5 with a strong starting pitching performance from Zak Martell (5IP, 0 runs, 2K, 2BB, 1H) and Rob Frampton who saved the game striking out 3 of his 5 outs. The dogs got hits from Kevin Onischuk (1-2, 2SB), Scott Rysz (1-3, RBI), Marty Belchak (1-1, 2BB, SB), Dylan Krug (1-2, RBI), Billy VandeMerkt (1-2, RBI, SB), Joe Ruge (1-4, 3RBI), and Dave Lutz (2-4). The Bulldogs dropped two games this week with a 0-9 loss to highly-touted Sandburg and an extra inning 3-4 loss to St. Laurence. Jack Kincanon (7IP, ER, 5H, 3K, 3BB) threw excellent against St. Laurence but the Bulldog's continued struggles in the field proved costly. On the year the Bulldogs have matched our opponents in offense scoring 39 to our opponent's 40 runs and have out hit the competition with a team batting average of .274 to our opponent's .227. RB continues their aggressive approach on the basepaths stealing their 32nd bag as a team in the late innings against Argo. However, the statistical statement of the year thus far has been RB’s 19 errors to our opponent's 5. With improved defensive play and continued excellent starting pitching the Dogs should be very competitive and start to win more ballgames. RB takes on a strong Nazareth team tomorrow (4/7) at Naz with ace Jon Kleinmeyer (1-2, 1.17ERA, 22K, 3BB, 18IP) scheduled to pitch. KLEINMEYER DOMINATES LEMONT WITH 16K NO-HITTER After a week long rain delay, Jon Kleinmeyer (1-2, 1.17 ERA, 18IP, 22K, 3BB)showed no signs of rust as he dominated Indian hitters in a 16K no-hit performance at Brookfield's Ehlert Park. Dog's second baseman Kevin Onischuk started it off with a leadoff double followed by a walk from Scott Rysz and a Marty Belchak RBI single. Later that inning a sacrifice fly from Joe Ruge put the Bulldogs up 2-0 going into the 2nd inning. RB's finest went on to win 7-0 but Kleinmeyer needed little offensive assistance with his 84mph fastball and deceptive change-up proving to be unhittable as the Bulldogs improved their record to 2-2. Overall the Bulldogs had 5 hits from Onischuk (.500), Belchak (.333), Pat Cullen (.333), Jon Kleinmeyer (.385), and Rob Frampton (.273) for a team batting average to .302. The Bulldogs continued their aggressiveness on the basepaths with 4 stolen bases from Belchak, Frampton, Billy VandeMerkt, and Kyle Halverson giving them a total of 19 on the season. RBHS maintained their team approach with 5 total sac's on the day and 7 different players scoring runs. The Bulldogs have Sandburg, St. Laurence, and Argo coming up this week with Ruge (1-0, 0.00ERA, 6IP, 7K, BB) and Jack Kincanon expecting to pitch. BULLDOG BATS EXPLODE ON ST. JOE’S Bulldog Baseball got their first victory of the season behind a potent offensive attack (13 hits) and Joe Ruge’s dominating pitching performance (6IP, OER, 7K, BB, HP). The Dogs rallied in the 2nd with triples from Kevin Onischuk, Marty Belchak, and Pat Cullen. Leading the offense (.314 team BA) so far has been Scott Rysz, Belchak, and Cullen with recent contributions by Onischuk, Dylan Krug, and Billy VandeMerkt. The Bulldogs continued their aggression on the basepaths with 7 stolen bases on the day and 15 on the year. Leading the way on the bases has been Rysz, Onischuk, VandeMerkt, and Kyle Halverson. The Bulldogs are currently 1-2 overall with early losses to Mt. Carmel and Wheaton North. One bright spot has been starting pitching with Ruge and Jon Kleinmeyer combining for a 1.24 ERA and Jack Kincanon expecting to contribute soon after a strong showing at Mt. Carmel. The Bulldog offense has also been delivering clutch hits, hitting .346 as a team with runners in scoring position. The most clutch hit of the season so far came from Cullen’s 2-run homerun to put the Bulldogs ahead going into the bottom of the 7th at Wheaton North.
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