Wildcats take two from Osawatomie for first sweep of season

By Andy Brown
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Updated: May 1, 2019

Louisburg junior Madden Rutherford follows through on a base hit during a game earlier this season. The Wildcats swept Osawatomie on Friday, 6-1 and 18-2.

OSAWATOMIE – It has been a frustrating year at times for the Louisburg baseball team and it didn’t help matters Thursday when they lost a pair of games to Anderson County.

However, the Wildcats got a little pick-me-up Friday when they traveled to Osawatomie for a doubleheader. It was exactly what Louisburg was looking for.

The Wildcats recorded up their first sweep of the season as they rolled the Trojans in Osawatomie, 6-1 and 18-2, and it also snapped a long losing streak for Louisburg in the process.

“Getting the sweep was needed,” Louisburg coach Joel McGhee said. “We had two tough games with Anderson County on Thursday that we came up short in and being able to turn around the next day and pick up two wins was huge. We did a much better job taking care of the baseball and did not have mistakes that led to extra outs and free bases. This was a much-needed sweep and we made the improvements in our fielding that we needed to see.”

Louisburg senior Jakob Krause took care of the Osawatomie lineup as he pitched six innings and gave up one run on four hits and struck out six batters to get the win. Freshman Kolby Kattau had a scoreless seventh inning on just five pitches.

The Wildcats struck for four runs in the top of the second inning and struck for two more in the fifth to help seal the win against the Trojans.

“Jakob did a great job filling up the zone and challenged hitters,” McGhee said. “He was able to get lead-off outs and in most innings got the first two batters out. He did not give up any walks, and made their hitters put the ball in play.”

To start the second inning, freshman Brandon Doles scored on a passed ball and then Krause helped himself with a 2-run single that scored A.J. Drew and Michael Rogers. Senior Beckett Rasmussen, who had Louisburg’s lone extra base hit, doubled home Krause to make it a four-run game.

Senior Noah Larson added an RBI single in the fifth that scored Blue Caplinger, and Andrew Krause singled home Larson to complete the Louisburg inning.

In the nightcap, it was Rasmussen’s bat that led the charge for the Wildcats. The Louisburg senior finished with three hits and 5 RBIs. He also walked, doubled and scored three runs in a game where all the Wildcats got involved in one way or another.

“Beckett had a great night,” McGhee said. “He saw a lot of pitches, which led to quality at-bats. He had multiple extra base hits that drove in runs and he showed great hustle. He found ways to get on base and get across the plate.

“For the night we had a lot of quality at-bats. We had guys seeing more pitches that led to positive outcomes.”

Several of Rasmussen’s teammates had good showings as well. Junior Madden Rutherford had three hits, including a double, and 3 RBIs, while sophomore Matt Madison had a pair of hits and 3 RBIs.

Jakob Krause had two hits with a double, two walks and scored three runs to go along with 2 RBIs. Senior Logan McClellan and freshman Maverick Rockers also finished with two hits and Larson had an RBI double.

McClellan also gave the Wildcats a strong pitching performance as he went four innings and gave up no earned runs and struck out five. Rockers then came in for relief in a scoreless fifth inning.

“Logan threw well also,” McGhee said. “He had some long periods between throwing several times, but came in and threw strikes. He also had multiple innings in which he got the lead-off or first two batters out.

“Our most efficient innings came from Kolby Kattau and Maverick Rockers. Both came in to close out the games and threw very well. They filled the zone and both threw under 10 pitches to finish up the game.”

The Wildcats (3-14) opened with a nine-run first inning, which was more than enough to get the sweep. Louisburg added six runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth to compete the run-rule win.

Louisburg will try and keep its winning streak going Thursday when it travels to Eudora for one game.

Wildcats lose two to Anderson County

It was a tough night for the Louisburg baseball team Thursday in Garnett as the Wildcats lost a pair of games, including a 4-3 loss that ended in walk-off fashion.

The Wildcats then committed five errors in the nightcap that led to a 9-4 loss to the Bulldogs.

Louisburg got a good start from junior Madden Rutherford who pitched a complete game in the loss and gave up three earned runs on 10 hits and struck out nine batters.

The Wildcats held a 3-2 lead going into the bottom of the seventh, but the Bulldogs loaded the bases with two outs and then singled home two runs to steal the win from Louisburg.

“Anderson County was tough,” Louisburg coach Joel McGhee said. “We got a lead in the first inning of game one, and saw it disappear after several mistakes were made in the bottom of the inning. We battled back to retake the lead. Madden was throwing very well and was challenging the hitters. He filled the strike zone and had multiple innings with lead-off outs, first two batters out, and two 1-2-3 innings.

“Anderson County had some timely hits in the final inning, and ended with a walk-off single down the right field line, that just caught the foul line to win the game. Everyone wanted that game.”

Freshman Brandon Doles and senior Logan McClellan each had RBI hits in the loss for Louisburg and senior Michael Rogers finished with two hits to lead the Wildcats.

In the nightcap, Louisburg struck first with four runs in the first inning, but errors allowed the Bulldogs to score three in their half of the first. Anderson County followed with two runs in the third, fifth and sixth innings to complete the sweep.

Rutherford had a big day at the plate with three hits and a run scored, while Doles had a two-run single and Kolby Kattau had an RBI double. Senior Chase Norton also added a double.

“Game two started off well as we picked up a four run lead, but then struggled to take care of the ball and Anderson County again came up with hits and took advantage of our mistakes,” McGhee said. “Brandon Doles and Andrew Krause threw well, but we were unable to overcome our errors in the field and were unable to get things rolling on offense after the first inning.”