Trojans pound Oakton to win their eighth straight game

A 17-hit attack culminated by Dylan Holmes' grand-slam homer and Nolan Larson's quality start powered the Triton College baseball team to its eighth straight triumph in a 14-2 dominating performance against Oakton College April 10 at Symonds-Puckett Field.

Holmes drove in five runs and ended the contest via the 10-run rule with his slam in the bottom of the seventh. Earlier, Jake Kutella and Antoine Harris slugged two-run homers to give right-hander Larson (3-0) plenty of breathing room in his fifth start of the season.

The Trojans (21-13) warmed up for their game-long hitting exhibition with a small-ball display in the first inning that used up Owls (9-15) starter Cody Brooks, who threw 38 pitches in the first. RBI singles by Holmes and Noah Jouras, and a bases-loaded walk to Anthony Martinez – all with two out – gave the Trojans a lead that they kept on building throughout the beautiful spring afternoon.

"My goal is to try to get strike hard and strike fast," said Triton coach Harry Torgerson. "I like to do that early on, get somewhat of a lead. We're swinging the bats good as of late and the temperature is warming up."

While impressed with his lineup's three-homer output, Torgerson knows the small ball will come in handy on colder days this month and in the upcoming post-season.  "That's a big part of our game," he said. The Trojans stole two bases in the first, and soon will pass the 100-steals mark as a team for the season.

Holmes enabled his team and Torgerson to enjoy an early dinner with plenty of daylight left with his grand slam, his first homer of the season.

"We were two runs away from winning," Holmes said of the 10-run rule, which ends games before nine innings if the victor leads by that margin. "I was just looking to get a single.

"Everyone was going off each other's energy. We were just rolling."

Holmes said the Trojans have transformed since a problematic New Orleans trip in March.

"We turned down the selfishness level and are playing as a team," he said. If we keep up this energy, we'll be in good shape."

The Trojans' two Rodriguez's, Felix and Keyber, each added RBI singles in the sixth. Felix Rodriguez slashed a triple and scored on a grounder in the third.

Larson was assured of not having the game reside on any one pitch as the bats unlimbered. He allowed two runs on four hits while striking out five in an 85-pitch outing. He has struck out 27 in 26 innings so far.

Larson settled down after allowing Andrew Rubin's homer in the first. He was helped by Harris' leaping catch in the fourth, an inning the right-hander ended pitching out of a minor jam.

"I was trying to get ahead and stay ahead," Larson said. "The warm weather is nice for a pitcher as well. Having all those extra runs was helpful. You don't have to worry too much."

Torgerson pushed Larson's start back from two day's previously, figuring he needed a little more rest.

"He had a good fastball," said Torgerson. "And he found his changeup after probably the second inning. That kept them off-balance."
 
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(Story by tritonathletics.com contributor George Castle)