Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

SOLON – As a returning starter on a Solon roster loaded with first-year varsity players senior Cole Arduser is responsible for filling several roles.

One of only a handful of returners for the Spartans this season Arduser is expected to be an anchor defensively at third base as well as a run producer in the middle of the lineup.

First and foremost, Arduser is looked to for leadership.

“I knew coming into this season I had to be more of a leader,” Arduser said. “We lost some guys that were big leaders for us last year and Nolan (Pattison) and I have been talking and trying to take on some of that leadership.”

Arduser let his bat doing the leading on Thursday as Class 3A ninth-ranked Solon swept Center Point-Urbana (3-2) 10-1 and 13-3 in a WAMAC cross-divisional doubleheader at the Solon Nature and Recreation Area.

Thanks to a four-hit performance in the opener, Arduser finished the doubleheader 5-for-5 with four RBI as Solon (4-1) stretched its winning streak to four.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever had four hits in a game before,” Arduser said. “I know I’ve never done it in a varsity game so that felt really good.”

Arduser led a 15-hit Solon attack in game one with his four-hit effort and also scored three runs in the opener.

He had an RBI single and drew four walks in the nightcap as Solon benefitted from 15 free passes issued by Center Point-Urbana pitchers in a six-inning win in game two.  

“I was talking to coach (Jim) White and he was working with me on the mental stuff and telling to go into every at bat and stay confident,” Arduser said. “I was just thinking 1-for-1 and then 2-for-2 and just trying to stick with it each at bat.”

Arduser hit .278 last season in his first taste of varsity action.

After going 1-for-6 in a season-opening doubleheader split with West Delaware he has seven hits in his last nine at bats.

On top of the offensive production Arduser is proving the leadership that veteran Solon head coach Keith McSweeney knows is so valuable.

“The game really slows down your senior year and it’s slowing down for him,” McSweeney said. “Cole’s a great leader and we have some really good ones with Sully Steen and Nolan Pattison and Lucas Walker and we have some younger guys and they really mesh together.”

Arduser was part of a couple of Solon rallies that helped the Spartans take control early in game two.

He walked and scored as part of a four-run Solon first inning and had an RBI single in a two-run fourth that gave the Spartans a 7-3 lead.

Eighth-grader Brett White tripled and scored three runs in the nightcap while sophomore first baseman Kinnick Pusteoska had a hit and an RBI.

“We have guys coming in that are hitting really well,” Arduser said. “That has really helped having some younger guys coming up and adding to our lineup.”

Junior shortstop Brady Jeworrek had the only hit in the four-run Spartan first inning that featured five walks and a hit batter, a two-run double to center field.

“We’ve been working really hard to get the timing down in the cage and find the sweet spot,” Jeworrek said. “We’re putting go at bats together.”

Nine different Spartans had hits in game one and five different Solon players had a hit in the nightcap where eight different players scored runs.

“We didn’t swing it real well the first night but we were getting walked a little bit and it was hard to lock in but tonight was good,” McSweeney said. “I think Center Point has a really nice team and we saw some good pitching tonight.”  

Solon got its only solid pitching performances in the sweep.

Junior Drew Turner tossed five strong innings to earn the win in the opener allowing one run on two hits while striking out seven.

Jake Van Roekel got the win in the nightcap allowing three runs on three hits and Jacob Smith worked three hitless innings of relief.

“I think this team can be really good we just have to stick together and play our game and not get ahead of ourselves,” Jeworrek said. “We figured out where we need to be and what we can all do.

Game 1

Center Point-Urbana            000 100  0  –   1    6   0

Solon                                      201  610  x –  10  15  0

W – Drew Turner                   L – Brody Grawe

2B – SOL: Kinnick Pusteoska, Nolan Pattison, Brett White

HR – CPU: Caleb Andrews  

Game 2

Center Point-Urbana            021  000  –   3   3  1

Solon                                      410  215  –  13  5  1

W – Jake Van Roekel             L – Braylon Havel

2B – SOL: Brady Jeworrek

3B – SOL: Brett White

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