Baseball: Cougars Carry Win Streak into Spring Break

With their 7-4 win over the McLean Highlanders on Saturday, the Oakton High baseball team remains undefeated through five games. 

The Cougar offense started strong in the first inning, responding to the Highlanders' two runs in the top of the inning with four of their own. Scoring started with an RBI single from junior right fielder Brian Burns. Three batters and an out later, designated hitter Brandon Chandler hit a two-run double to gain the lead, which the Cougars never surrendered. Sophomore third baseman Dale Good knocked in the final run of the inning with a sacrifice fly to right field, putting the Cougars up 4-2. 

The second inning saw the Cougars score what would end up being the game-winner when Burns hit a slow grounder toward shortstop to score Joey Bartosic from third base. Burns also knocked in the final Cougar runs with a two-run homer in the fourth inning. 

"I didn't think I hit it well at all, but it just carried and went out, I guess," Burns said.

Burns went four for four at the plate — three singles and a home run — to tally four RBI and two runs.

"Brian's a very good player. He's quiet and I don't think a lot of people know about him, and that's fine. We can keep it that way," Coach Justin Janis laughed. "Brian had a very good year as a sophomore and he just picked up where he left off. He's a quiet kid but a very hard worker."

Five games into the 2012 season, the Cougars have scored 47 runs in its undefeated streak. Saturday's seven runs are the fewest the Cougars have scored in a game this season.

"We've been hitting really strongly. Heading into this season, pitching was a big question mark, so we knew we'd have to score a lot of runs," Burns said. "Up and down the lineup we've all just been hitting really consistently. We all can hit, and it's showing."

Janis thinks the strong start to the season will build the foundation the Cougars need as Concorde District play nears.

"As a team, one through nine, we've been putting together great at-bats. It seems whoever we're putting in the lineup is able to have a good at-bat," Janis said. "And then defensively we've been getting the job done."

Janis praised his infield for pulling off above-average plays, including two double-plays. He also pointed to center fielder Bartosic's diving catch in the third inning and his throw from center field to home plate to end the Highlanders' two-out rally in the fourth.

"They had the momentum going at that point, so that throw was huge for us," Janis said.

The Cougars have allowed 20 runs total this season, averaging five runs per game. The first time the Cougars and Highlanders faced each other, the Highlanders scored seven runs — the most for any opponent this season. 

On Saturday, the Highlanders' four runs were scattered throughout the game — two in the first, one in the fourth and one in the seventh — and came off three different pitchers. The Cougars used four pitchers total. Aaron Andrews started on the mound, with Keith Knicely, Tommy Lopez and R.J. Garcia pitching in relief. 

Using multiple pitchers in a game is not necessarily in the Cougars' plan for the season, but Janis is thankful for the depth.

"We play game by game. We do have some depth in our pitching staff and have guys who can come in and throw strikes when we need them, which is great," he said.

Though the school might be on hiatus next week for spring break, the Cougars will squeeze in two games early in the week. On Monday, they will travel to Lake Braddock, last year to end the Cougars' season. 

"It's a new year. In the offseason, you definitely run that game through your head a lot, but when it comes down to it, it's a new team and new players," Janis said.

At 3 p.m. Tuesday, the Cougars will host West Springfield.

Hits: Joey Bartosic (two singles), Brian Burns (home run, three singles), Brandon Chandler (double), Mason Hauser (single), Ausitn Lamon (two singles)
RBI: Burns (4), Chandler (2), Dale Good (1)