As the Lions season winds down, let’s look at some recent games to see how the team has been doing!

When we last checked in with the team, they had a record of 0-4. Since then, the Lions have gone 5-6, as they have tried to dig themselves out of the hole. Let’s take a look at each of the games.

Wednesday, March 22: 5-3 Win @ South Kitsap 

Staff ace Drew Welk threw six innings of three-run ball, and the office did just enough to come away with the win. Spencer Truebenbach knocked in two runs and freshman Dawson Brown was responsible for the game-winning RBI, the first of his high school career.

Friday, March 24: 3-4 Loss @ Sumner

The Lions fell into an early 4-0 hole. They battled back in the fifth inning, with right fielder Dawson Brown’s two-run single pulling the Lions within 1. Unfortunately, that was as close as it got, and the Lions slipped to 1-5.

Monday, March 27: 0-11 Loss Vs Olympia

Against the reigning state champion Olympia Bears, Bellarmine knew it would be a tough matchup. Hayden Morrison and Ethan Truebenbach struggled on the mound, and the Lions mustered just two hits, both infield singles, against the Bears. The Lions fell to 1-6.

This game was a turning point in the Lion’s season. Since then, they have been playing much better ball, are 4-4 (.500), and look like a different team.

Wednesday, March 29: 12-0 Win @ Graham-Kapowsin

Welk returned to the mound and dominated completely, tossing a no-hitter, the second of his high school career. It was an all-around performance for a Lions team that had once looked lifeless. Hayden Morrison particularly shone, going 3-4 with two runs scored and four RBIs, including a bases-clearing double that blew the game open in the fifth inning. Welk, Owen Haugen, and Truebenbach also each checked in with multiple hits.

Friday, March 31: 5-4 Win Vs Bethel

In a rainy, stormy game, the Lions and Bison both put up four runs in the first inning, and the game looked like it would be a thrilling, high-scoring affair. Instead, only one more run came across, in the second inning, which turned out to be the winning run for the Lions in a rain-shortened five-inning victory. Dolan Wynne threw three perfect innings in relief, holding the one-run lead in one of the most clutch pitching performances of the season. Drew Welk and Braden Pollock each contributed big hits during the Lion’s 4-run first inning. The win moved Bellarmine to 3-6.

Monday, April 3: 2-4 loss @ Curtis

Drew Welk and Jack Nedved pitched well, well enough to give the Lions a chance to take down the #6 ranked Curtis Vikings. Unfortunately, a costly error by Sophomore Raiden Calcote gave Curtis the break they needed to come out ahead. Nick Nino was a bright spot in the lineup, going for 2-2 with a walk and a run batted in.

Wednesday, April 5: 3-14 loss Vs Sumner

The Lions reverted back to early season form in a blowout loss to the Spartans. Bellarmine actually held a 3-2 lead going into the fifth inning, and still only trailed 5-3 after the fifth. The Spartans blew it open in the sixth, scoring 7 in the inning. Once again, Truebenbach and Morrison paced the offense with two hits each, and it was pitcher Dolan Wynne who helped himself out with two of the three RBI in the game. The loss dropped Bellarmine to 3-8.

Wednesday, April 12: 0-10 loss @ Rogers

A rare struggle of a game from usually reliable Drew Welk led to a 10-0 loss at the hands of the Rams. The Lions mustered up only two hits in the game.

Friday, April 14: 4-0 win Vs South Kitsap

Started Hayden Morrison was the player of the game, throwing six scoreless innings and striking out a whopping nine batters. It was his best game of the season, and the offense got the job done. Braden Pollock was 2-3 with a two-run triple, and Morrison also had two knocks at the plate, capping off an amazing game for him. The win moved Bellarmine to 4-9.

Monday, April 17: 1-14 loss Vs Puyallup

Bellarmine didn’t have any of their starting pitchers available for the game, so instead they went with a bullpen day against the top-ranked Puyallup Vikings. 12 walks issued killed the Lions in a 14-1 loss that saw the game end in just five innings. Nick Nino had two of the Lion’s three hits in the game, and Spencer Truebenbach scored the only run.

Tuesday, April 18: 7-3 win @ Bethel

The Lions were the away team despite playing at Bellarmine, and they took advantage of a weak Bison pitching staff, scoring two runs in the fifth and three in the sixth to break up what was a 2-2 tie. Drew Welk continued to pitch well in what was his seventh start of the season, and relief stud Dolan Wynne closed it out with the save. Nate Burke was 2-2 with a huge double, and Dawson Brown had a huge two-out RBI triple in the 5th to give the Lions a 3-2 lead. Hayden Morrison also continued his fantastic season at the plate with a 2-4 day, scoring and knocking in two RBI.

At 5-10, the Lions have been stringing together wins as they attempt to make a playoff run. They are currently 7th in the SPSL, ahead of South Kitsap, Graham Kapowsin, and Bethel. The Lion’s next game is at Home on Thursday against the Graham-Kapowsin Eagles, another team they should hopefully be able to defeat.

Hayden Morrison currently leads the team with a .341 Batting Average. Nick Nino’s team-leading 10 walks have helped his team-high .431 On Base Percentage. Nate Burke has the most extra-base hits, with 3 (2 doubles and a triple), Morrison leads the team with 7 RBI, and leadoff hitter Spencer Truebenbach has scored the most runs, with 9. Spencer also leads the team with 6 stolen bases and has only been caught stealing once.

On the pitching side, Drew Welk has thrown the most innings, at 29.2, averaging a little over four innings per start. Jack Nedved leads the team in games pitched; the Sophomore has started twice and relieved in 8 games, for a total of 10 appearances (2/3rd of their games!). Welk leads the team with two wins. Dolan Wynne has the only save on the team. Welk leads the team with 39 Strikeouts and 29 Walks, and the team has four pitchers with ERAs under five – Welk (2.831 in 29.2 innings), Nick Nino (0.00 in 2 innings), Wynne (3,787 in 20.1 innings), and Nedved (4.915 in 15.2 innings).

Defensively the Lions have been mostly good. Outfielders Braden Pollock (RF), Dawson Brown (RF), Nick Nino (LF), and Spencer Truebenbach (CF), all have perfect fielding percentages, and 2B Nate Burke leads the infield with a .983 percentage (57/58). Infielder Raiden Calcote’s 6 errors in 33 chances lead the team, but he makes up for it in his versatility, as he is able to play 3B, 2B, and SS.