April 19, 2018 By Chris Varney
The Grinnell College baseball team got a setback this week when Monmouth took two games from the Pioneers on Tuesday afternoon. The Fighting Scots kept their post-season hopes alive with a doubleheader sweep, winning 13-5 and 6-1. Grinnell won two games at Monmouth last week and the Scots still have 4 games each with Illinois College and Cornell so the Pioneers still have the upper hand in winning the South Division.
The key for Grinnell’s success the rest of the season will be how Head Coach Tim Hollibaugh manages his pitching staff. By the numbers, Grinnell has the worst staff in the Midwest Conference — their team earned run average is a league worst 7.30. The Pioneers gave up 14 earned runs in the two games against Monmouth on Tuesday but Hollibaugh admitted he had to go with some young pitchers and save his arms for this weekend’s crossover tournament in Wisconsin. Grinnell is scheduled to play all 4 teams in the Northern Division this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Andrew Mack is still battling his way back from various injuries — he threw 4 no hit innings against Monmouth on Tuesday but Hollibaugh had to limit his workload so he does not re-aggravate anything. Mack is one of the best pitchers in the league when he is 100% and Hollibaugh wants to make sure he is at his best in the stretch run of this season. Sam LaMotte (2-2, 6.66) has gone through a little bit of a sophomore slump and is also nicked up with a small injury. Grinnell has had to rely on Freshman Brock Weirather (3-1, 4.11) and Sophomore Rick Thompson (2-0, 3.60) as the most reliable starters right now.
The Pioneers are scheduled to play Lawrence University Friday night but that game is in doubt right now because of the weather up north. It is likely there will be games against Beloit and Ripon on Saturday, then St. Norbert on Sunday. Grinnell is still in first place in the South Division but Monmouth has made it more interesting after Tuesday’s games.