After Slow Start, Glenn Baseball Rolling
WALKERTON – The John Glenn Falcons baseball team entered the season projected to be one of the best teams in the state in Class 3A.
However, the Falcons, who entered the 2023 campaign ranked No. 5 in the state, got off to a sluggish start.
As a result, Glenn dropped out of the rankings, but since has really caught fire and is rolling.
The Falcons have won their last seven games to improve their season record to 11-3.
On Wednesday MAX 98.3 FM WYMR broadcasted Glenn’s latest victory, a 6-0 triumph over visiting Elkhart in which starting pitcher Joe Chrapliwy was flat out dominating.
The junior pitched a complete game and struck out nine while walking four.
At one point, Chrapliwy retired nine Lions in a row, and only twice did Elkhart baserunners reach third base.
A couple times, he pitched out of potential trouble, too.
In the fourth inning after allowing his first hit, Chrapliwy faced runners on first and second with nobody out and a 3-2 count on Elkhart’s Braden Cook, but blew a fastball by the visitors’ cleanup hitter to strike him out and avoid a bases loaded nobody out scenario.
Then in the fifth, the Lions had the bases loaded with two out, but Chrapliwy again reached back for something extra and struck out Elkhart’s Preston Stimac with an elevated fastball.
Chrapliwy ran his season record to 3-0 and lowered his ERA from 5.00 to 3.33.
His performance was exactly what Falcon head coach John Nodulny was looking for from his No. 2 starter.
Nodulny, who led Glenn to a sparkling 30-3 record on the diamond a year ago, which included a sectional championship, thought his pitching rotation may take some time to round into form considering his top two pitchers – Chrapliwy and senior Brycen Hannah – were about three weeks behind due to the Falcons’ semi-state basketball run.
Like Chrapliwy, Hannah seems to be hitting his stride on the mound, too.
Earlier this week, Hannah blanked South Bend Clay to lower his ERA to a stellar .082. He has allowed just two earned runs in 17 innings pitched.
Against Elkhart, Glenn jumped out to a 2-0 first-inning lead as shortstop Chase Miller and Chrapliwy scored.
Center fielder Joey Schoue scored an unearned run one inning later to increase the lead to 3-0.
Glenn tacked on two more runs in the third and added one in the sixth.
Hannah led the way at the plate going 3-for-3 with three singles and a walk.
Chrapliwy had a pair of singles and five of his teammates each added singles of their own.
Glenn’s cause was also aided by three Elkhart errors and two base on balls.
This season the Falcons are being led at the plate by Hannah, Miller and Chrapliwy. Hannah is battling .588, Miller at a .535 clip and Chrapliwy at .447.
To no surprise, that trifecta is also leading the way in on-base percentage with Hannah at .674.
Miller is having a very solid year after being moved from the outfield to shortstop. He’s pacing Glenn in steals (12), runs (21) and hits (23).
Although the Falcons are not hitting for a lot of power yet, they are a team that loves to be on the move when they get on base. Glenn has 47 stolen bases in its first 14 games.
The Falcons are back in action tonight when they travel to South Central. The Satellites are 11-4 and ranked ninth in Class 2A.
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