Paulik pitches 3-hitter, hits 3-run homer as Zebras drub Lewis Cass

Coleman goes 4 for 4, Beck adds 4 RBIs

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Carson Paulik Brant Beck

The Rochester baseball team celebrated their seniors prior to their game against Lewis Cass Wednesday and revealed their blonde ambitions for the future.

Carson Paulik clubbed a three-run homer as part of a four-RBI night, and fellow senior Brant Beck also had four RBIs as the Zebras drubbed Lewis Cass 16-0 in five innings at Bob Copeland Field Wednesday.

Brady Coleman went 4 for 4, and Zakk Parks also had a pair of hits. Linden Wilburn doubled and drove in two runs. Coleman and Parks each had an RBI.

Callen Ferverda was the only starter to not have a hit, but he walked twice and scored a run.

Rochester improved to 12-15 and finished Three Rivers Conference play 5-4. Lewis Cass dropped to 9-13, 3-6.

“I think these guys are getting some confidence,” Rochester coach Cory Good said. “We’ll take it now in Game 27 here.”

Paulik also pitched a three-hitter with no walks and nine strikeouts. After throwing 123 and 120 pitches in his previous two starts against Wabash and Northwestern, respectively, he was able to subdue the Kings on just 56 pitches. He retired the final seven batters.

Lewis Cass did not get a runner past second base.

Paulik has allowed just five earned runs in 46 innings for a 0.76 ERA. He has 74 strikeouts as compared to only 10 walks.

“He’s one of the best pitchers in the conference, probably the best,” Ferverda said. “He really knows how to locate. He’s got velocity. He’s just all-around a pretty solid pitcher, and he really boosts our morale on the mound when he’s out there. We know, hey, if we get the sticks rolling, he’s going to shut it down on defense. Let’s get going.”

Ferverda is one of many players who have dyed their hair blonde. He said it was not any one person’s idea, which is in contrast to the Triton boys basketball team that all became blonde at the same time before making a run to a state championship game appearance.

Ferverda said Dunfee was the first to dye his hair, and players have gradually followed suit. He said it is “based on us being dumb and high schoolers.”

“I think we have a very good chance,” Ferverda said when asked if the team could win a sectional. “Our record isn’t very great. … They’ll look at 12-15 and think they aren’t a very good baseball team, but we started off a little slow, and we’re just starting to get hot. Late May, early June, that’s when you want to get hot and be ready, and I think we can go and contend for that sectional.”

Wilburn and Conner Dunfee had sacrifice flies, Beck had an RBI infield single, and Parker Casper stole home on the front end of a double steal in the first.

In the second, Ferverda walked, Liam Spence reached on an error, and Coleman laid down a bunt single to load the bases with nobody out. Ferverda scored on a wild pitch. Paulik’s sacrifice fly to right field off reliever Devin Lacey not only scored Paulik but moved Coleman to third. 

Lewis Cass coach Greg Marschand instructed his infield to move in, but Parks singled past the drawn-in infield to make it 7-0. Parks stole second, and Wilburn then clocked an RBI double to make it 8-0. Wilburn later scored on a wild pitch, and Beck drove in a run on a forceout to make it 10-0.

Paulik’s homer after singles from Spence and Coleman made it 13-0 in the third. Beck tucked a grounder just inside the third baseline for a two-run double, and Coleman added an RBI single to complete the scoring.

Rochester also turned a double play on defense in the first inning when Dunfee stabbed Owen Cotner-Graves hot grounder at first base, stepped on the bag and threw to Coleman at second, who tagged Julien Davidson.

“Really focused,” Good said. “I thought a lot of what we did well last night rolled over to today. Again, Carson pitched a great game again. We really hit the ball hard at the plate tonight. I hope that’s a sign of things to come. And a pretty clean defensive game.”

Rochester 16, Lewis Cass 0

Lewis Cass 000 00 – 0 3 1

Rochester 466 0X – 16 14 0

WP – Carson Paulik (5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 9 K)

LP – Kaison Hipsher-Walker (1 IP, 4 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 0 K)

2B – Kaison Hipsher-Walker (LC), Brady Coleman (RHS), Linden Wilburn (RHS), Brant Beck (RHS)

HR – Carson Paulik (RHS)