Mariner overpowers SW 19-5
In pursuit of some lofty team goals, the Mariner Tritons haven’t allowed complacency to set in during their spring break.
They stayed sharp Tuesday in a 19-5 rout of Minneapolis Southwest a day after pinning a 13-0 defeat on Whitley County (Ky.).
Over the years, the Tritons (16-2) have made it a habit of testing themselves against out-of-state competition during the break. They’ve also played well down the stretch, reaching the state playoffs four of the last five years, including a district championship last season.
“These teams call and want to know if we want to pick up a game. It’s something we’ve done in the 13 years I’ve been here,” Mariner coach Steve Larsen said. “Some of them are really good and then others are not so good.”
The competition hasn’t mattered much to the Tritons’ offense. They’ve swung the bats well for the majority of the season and continued Tuesday, getting two home runs from senior Michael Zunino and one from junior Martin Evans.
Zunino, who set the school’s single-season home run mark of 10 last year, is closing in on the mark again. He has five home runs in the past five games, giving him nine on the season.
Tuesday, he tagged Southwest starter Bennett Johnson for a pair of majestic drives – a two-run shot in the first and another two-run shot in the third.
The Tritons went to work in the bottom of the first. They scored eight runs on six hits, bringing 13 batters to the plate.
Angel Laborde singled before Zunino’s first homer and the scoring included an RBI double by Walter Cleary, a two-run double by Ryan Schneider and a two-run single by Anthony Santo.
After taking an 8-0 lead, the Tritons struggled defensively in the top of the second. Starter Matt Cooker walked three batters and hit another and the Tritons made a fielding error, leading to four runs.
The biggest hit for the visiting Lakers was Nick Kuhlmann’s two-run single. They added another run in the third on an RBI by Joe Hetlund, cutting the lead to 8-5.
“The biggest thing with us is inconsistency,” Larsen said. “A lot of people might not see it, but I see it.”
The Tritons came back quickly with three runs in the third and eight more in the fourth.
Along with Zunino’s second homer in the third, Laborde had an RBI single and Daniel Alimonti smacked a double. The fourth-inning outburst featured two-run doubles by Santo and Bryan O’Connor.
Normally a utility player, Evans launched his first career homer, a three-run shot in the fourth. It capped off the Tritons’ 18-hit barrage.
Cooker went three innings on the mound to record the win, while O’Connor pitched two scoreless innings in relief.
The Tritons host Miami Jesuit Saturday at 1 p.m.
Minneapolis SW 041 00 – 5 5 2
Mariner 803 8x – 19 18 1
W – Matt Cooker. L – Johnson.
2B – Walter Cleary (M), Ryan Schneider (M), Daniel Alimonti (M), Bryan O’Connor (M), Anthony Santo (M).
HR – Michael Zunino 2 (M), Martin Evans (M).