Pinny's Dakota Grappin tags out Don Crevier trying to steal second base on Monday.
Oscoda's Dustin Crevier allowed three earned runs in the first game against the Spartans.
Brent Baker
Pinny's Kurtis Mowbray fields a hopper at third base during Monday's doubleheader.

PINCONNING - May 7, 2007 - Pinconning baseball coach Jeff Sanak knows his team is unlikely to chase down Ogemaw Heights or John Glenn for the North East Michigan Conference title this season. Still, he has a doubleheader coming up next week with the Falcons, as well as a likely district championship contest with the league-leaders June 2, so every step his team takes toward closing that gap is a good one.

"We're getting better," Sanak said after the Spartans' 6-0 and 8-2 sweep of Oscoda on Monday. "We need to keep getting better to be ready for June 2. If we're playing well, in a one-game shot, you never know what could happen."

Oscoda didn't cave into the Spartans, but they didn't have much luck scoring runs off them either. Pinny ace Tommy Rezler and Steve Moore collared the Owls with a three-hit shutout in the opener, and freshman Casey Pashak allowed one unearned run on three hits in a complete game performance in the nightcap.

The Spartans scored all their runs in the first and third innings of the opener with an assist from the Oscoda defense.

"We lost both games, but we had a few errors at crucial times," said Owls coach Robert Skodack. "The games were much closer than the score indicates."

Oscoda's Dustin Crevier gave up seven hits and three walks while striking out two; three of his six runs allowed were unearned. Kurtis Mowbray had three hits and Pashak had a two-run single in the third to lead the Pinny offense, which sputtered after the first three innings.

Don Crevier and Mike Lamrock had run-scoring hits in the first two innings of the nightcap and the Owls entered the bottom of the second tied at 2-2. Pinny added two runs in the third and fourth innings to take control and were never seriously threatened.

Pashak walked one and struck out eight, while the Owls' Torib Uchel gave up nine hits, four earned runs, walked one and struck out one.

Ryan Kleinhans had two hits, Rezler had a triple and drove in a run, and Derrick Marquiss, Mowbray and Dakota Grappin each had RBIs.

Pinny improved to 14-9 (5-3 NEMC) while Oscoda dropped to 5-12 (0-8).