ALTON - Scott Vickrey hit a solo home run in his two-hit and RBI day at the plate, and also struck out eight on the mound in pitching a complete game as Marquette Catholic won the Alton city championship with a 6-3 victory over the Redbirds Friday night at Lloyd Hopkins Field in Gordon Moore Park.
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The game was the completion of a suspended game from opening day, Mar. 11, when a storm came through the St. Louis area, postponing the remainder of the game, which was completed Friday night.
Marquette head coach Tim Fahnestock said the temperature dropped from 66 degrees to the 50s and finally the 45-degree range before it ended. He also said it is always great to get a W over Alton in the cross-town city rivalry game.
The teams originally traded runs in the first inning when the game was suspended, and after it picked up, the Explorers scored twice in the third to take the lead at 3-1. Marquette expanded the lead to 4-1 with a single run in the fifth, with Alton High scoring a single run in the top of the sixth, but the Explorers scored twice in the bottom of the inning to go ahead 6-2. The Redbirds scored a single run in the top of the seventh, but it wasn't enough, as Marquette took the win.
Both Vickrey and Will Fahnestock had two hits and an RBI for the Explorers, while Karson Morrissey had a hit, and Mykai Taylor drove in a run.
Austin Rathgeb had a big day at the plate for the Redbirds, with three hits, including a home run, and three RBIs, while both Reid Murray and Deon Harrington had a pair of hits each, and Jack Puent had a hit.
Vickrey went all the way on the mound for Marquette, allowing three runs on eight hits, fanning eight. Rathgeb went three innings on the mound, for Alton, giving up three runs, two earned, on two hits while striking out seven, Alex Siatos threw two innings, allowing a run on a hit, striking out four, and Aaron Wooten pitched in the seventh inning, allowing two runs, one earned, on two hits, fanning one.
The Explorers are now 2-2, and host Hardin Calhoun in a 1 p.m. game on Saturday, then host Greenville Monday and the St. Louis Home School Patriots on Tuesday, with both games starting at 4:30 p.m.
The Redbirds go to 4-2, and next play at Civic Memorial on Monday, then host Hazelwood West on Wednesday, with both games starting at 4:30 p.m., then play in a round-robin tournament at the USA Stadium Complex in Millington, Tenn. next weekend, playing DeSoto Central of Southaven, Miss. next Friday at 6:30 p.m., then play twice on Mar. 30, meeting Greenfield Northwestern at 10 a.m., then Alton plays West Memphis, Ark., Christian at 1 p.m.
