Armstrong: 'We need to pick up the intensity. We pick the intensity up when we're already down. That's not ideal. You need to start the game with that intensity.'
SYCAMORE – By the time Will Oczkowski took the field Thursday evening, the damage had already been done. After three innings, Sycamore trailed by 10 and was bound for its third straight defeat by Morris.
But Oczkowski sparked new life into the Spartans. In his varsity debut, he pitched four innings of relief and gave up only one run. Oczkowski also smacked a single into right-center field to go 1 for 2 at the plate.
Unfortunately for the Spartans, their comeback fell short, losing to Morris, 13-6.
“I wanted to prove myself,” Oczkowski said. “It was really nice getting out there. I feel like I proved myself pretty first well considering it was my first time at this type of level. I’m pretty proud of myself.”
Sycamore starting pitcher Jacob Cavanaugh went 21/3 innings, giving up five hits, five runs and two walks, while striking out three. It went from bad to worse for the Spartans (5-9) during the third inning, when reliever Conner Smith came in. Smith gave up seven runs, five hits and one walk.
“I think we start the game really laid back,” Sycamore’s Gage Armstrong said. “We need to pick up the intensity. We pick the intensity up when we’re already down. That’s not ideal. You need to start the game with that intensity.”
Oczkowski inherited a 12-2 deficit to begin the fourth inning. The score didn’t affect his mindset, however, as Oczkowski retired three straight Morris batters to kickoff his debut.
Sycamore fed off the new energy, scoring three runs in the bottom of the fourth off a pair of a RBI double from Austin Steele and RBI triple by Nathen Shover. Shover also scored thanks to a balk.
Austin Perry added another run on a wild pitch during the fifth inning, but that would be all the Spartans’ offense could manage.
“We’ve been snake-bit in this series,” Sycamore coach Jason Cavanaugh said. “Every ball they hit found a spot. There were several infield hits in the first three innings. We didn’t do ourselves any favors. It got to the point, a dinker here, a walk there, all of a sudden, there are runners at first and second with nobody out. Then you’re starting to press a little bit.”
Asked if he’d consider playing Oczkowski more moving forward, Cavanaugh said for sure.
“He gave us some life,” Cavanaugh said of the 5-foot-11, 185-pound righty.
By the numbers: Sycamore junior Gage Armstrong went 1 for 2 at the plate, with a two-run home run during the third inning.
Beyond the stats: After Armstrong’s home run, Cavanaugh pleaded for one of his Sycamore players to retrieve the ball, which went over the fence in right field. Several teammates yelled jokingly, “Gage, go get your ball!”
They said it: “There is no doubt Morris is good,” Cavanaugh said. “They’ll challenge for the conference title. We’ll have to take the rest of this year and try to play spoiler and get better for the postseason.”
Up next: Sycamore hosts Elgin at 11 a.m. Saturday. Morris (14-4) hosts Ottawa at 9 a.m. Saturday.