No. 1 Brother Rice Keeps Rolling, Downs No. 3 St. Laurence

May 12, 2016

By Drew Locascio
Illinois Scouting Director

No. 1 Brother Rice 5, No. 3 St. Laurence 1

BURBANK, IL - 26 wins in a row and counting for No. 1 Brother Rice after a 5-1 victory Wednesday afternoon over No. 3 St. Laurence, a fellow Chicago Catholic League-Blue member. Right-handed pitcher Ryan Kutt once again proved he is the ace of the staff throwing a complete game for the Crusaders.

Kutt, an Illinois recruit, was on his game from the start, allowing one unearned run in his seven innings of work. He scattered four hits, struck out six and walked one. Kutt mixed three above-average pitches and commanded his fastball throughout. His fastball sat 88-90 mph early on and settled in at 86-89 mph, reaching back when need be. He flashed a late, sharp, firm breaking ball with slider/cutter action, thrown aggressively, ranging between 80-85 mph. To make matters tougher for Viking hitters, Kutt, showed feel and confidence in his changeup. He routinely threw it for strikes to right and left-handed hitters and in any count.

Brother Rice (27-2) got all of the runs they would need, with three runs in the top of the third inning. The Crusaders received an RBI double by Ryan King, an RBI groundout by Jack Guzek and an RBI single by Mike Massey, an Illinois recruit, in the frame. The Crusaders tacked on insurance runs in the fourth and the fifth. Guzek, an Indiana State recruit, drove in the run in the fifth with a sac fly, deep to left field, scoring Michigan State commit, King from third.

St. Laurence (23-5) scored their lone run off of Kutt and Brother Rice in the bottom of the sixth inning. Junior Brian Lyle led off the inning with a single and was later driven in on a sacrifice fly by Illinois Chicago recruit, Tom Farrell.

These two teams with face off again tomorrow as No. 3 St. Laurence travels to No. 1 Brother Rice for a 4:30 first pitch.

STATISTICAL HIGHLIGHTS

+ RHP Ryan Kutt (Brother Rice) – 7IP, 4H, 1R, 0ER, 6K, BB
+ SS Ryan King (Brother Rice) – 2-for-4, 2B, 2R, RBI
+ OF Brett Bagus (Brother Rice) – 2-for-3, 2B, RBI, R
+ LHP Anthony Robles (St. Laurence) – 6IP, 6H, 3ER, 4K, 2BB
+ 3B Matt McCormick (St. Laurence) – 1-for-3, 2B, BB
+ SS Brian Lyle (St. Laurence) – 1-for-2, R