Lyle/Pacelli Athletics baseball team blanks Houston 5-0 in season opener Friday

The Lyle/Pacelli Athletics baseball team, State Class A runner-up in 2023 and the preseason No. 1 team in the first Class A rankings for 2024 opened the season in Houston Friday versus the Hurricanes in a Southeast Conference matchup, and recent Creighton University commit Hunter VaDeer was a one-man wrecking crew for the Athletics, as he was 2 for 3 at the plate with a double, a home run and four RBI’s, plus he fanned 16 batters in six innings of work on the mound in a 5-0 Athletics victory.

VaDeer gave up no runs on one hit with three walks to go with his 16 strikeouts in six full innings of work, while fellow veteran Isaac Nelsen pitched the top of the seventh and gave up no runs on no hits, striking out three and walking one.  Besides VaDeer’s big game offensively for LP, Dane Schara was 2 for 3, Grady Meyer was 1 for 3 with a run scored, and both Nelsen and catcher Logyn Brooks were 1 for 4, with Brooks scoring a run, and leadoff hitter and first baseman Landon Meyer also scored a run in the win.

With the win, the Athletics start out the season at 1-0, and Lyle/Pacelli will be back in action in Rochester Monday versus Schaeffer Academy, with first pitch scheduled for 4:30 p.m. before playing their home opener at Marcusen Park Tuesday versus GMLOK, with first pitch for that game also scheduled for 4:30 p.m.