Shake it off, shake it off: Lahr’s ability to push everything aside and focus on pitching allows Raiders to take down Saukees

QUINCY — Just gotta shake it.

Sophomore pitcher Bradi Lahr uttered those words — quite loudly — dozens of times during the Quincy Notre Dame baseball team’s game against Pittsfield on Wednesday at Ferd Niemann Jr. Memorial Ballfield.

What exactly does this phrase mean?

“Whatever you want to take it as,” Lahr said.

Whatever it means, it must have worked because Lahr allowed two runs over five innings and earned the win as the Raiders topped the Saukees 4-2.

And Lahr wasn’t the only Raider exuding high levels of energy.

“The energy in the dugout carried me,” Lahr said. “Every inning, they told me just keep going out there and keep shoving. It was just my team having my back the whole time. I couldn’t ask for much more.”

Pittsfield jumped in front on a solo home run by Lane Foster in the top of the third, but QND answered in the bottom of the inning. The Raiders (6-8) got runners to second and third with two outs before Abram Wiewel, Evan Kenning and Nolan Robb delivered consecutive singles, each driving in a run to give the Raiders a 3-1 lead.

QND coach Rich Polak was encouraged by the clutch hitting.

“That’s something we have been lacking up to this point,” he said. “We’ve really been focusing on moving the baseball and doing some things with two strikes and two outs, and we did a pretty good job of that today.”

Hayden Gratton drove in Brennan Tomhave with a single up the middle in the top of the sixth, but QND reliever Gavin Doellman struck out Tim Hull to end the inning.

The Raiders again responded by scoring themselves, as Cale Linenfelser doubled, scoring Doellman to double the advantage. Doellman set down Pittsfield 1-2-3 in the seventh, handing the Saukees (13-2) their first loss since March 28.

Pittsfield coach Zach Ferguson said although Wednesday’s loss stung, it does not diminish what the Saukees have accomplished through the first 15 games, nor does it foreshadow what lies ahead.

“Baseball is a very humbling game,” Ferguson said. “Playing well now isn’t necessarily the ultimate goal. We want to be playing our best baseball come May. We’ve got a lot of work to do, but I’m happy with the guys and where we’re at.”

While these two teams are not scheduled to face off again during the regular season, Polak said this may not be the last time they see each other.

“This game had a regional feel to it,” Polak said. “We know we’re going to be in their regional. I’m sure they’ll be ready the next time we play them, too.”