Sweet 16: Connoyer’s blast jolts Raiders to life as they sweep pair in running win streak to 16 straight

QUINCY — It hasn’t happened often when the Quincy Notre Dame baseball team goes three consecutive innings without scoring.

When it happened Saturday against Hannibal, no one fretted.

“This year, we’re more mature,” Raiders junior Alex Connoyer said. “We know we can put up six in an inning. We know we can do it like that. We trust each other and know we’re going to score our runs as long as our pitcher keeps it close.”

Right-hander Jake Schisler did that, and Connoyer delivered the jolt the Raiders’ offense needed.

Scoreless headed to the bottom of the fourth inning in the QND/Palmyra Spring Slam at the Ferd, Connoyer jumped on a fastball from Pirates starter Aaris Stolte and jacked a two-run home run to left-center field that propelled the Raiders to a 6-0 victory.

“I was just sitting on a fastball I can drive,” Connoyer said. “Luckily enough I got one.”

And he got enough of it.

“I knew I had the height,” Connoyer said. “I didn’t know if I had the distance. Halfway to first base, I knew I had it.”

The Raiders (25-2) made it a clean sweep of the weekend, beating St. Charles (Mo.) 19-0 in the final game as they scored all 19 runs in the first inning. QND has won 16 games in a row and shut out four of its last five opponents.

Schisler quieted the Pirates’ attack despite a rocky first inning. He allowed a leadoff single to Hannibal catcher Keaton Scott, and after his defense turned a double play, Schisler gave up a single to Kane Wilson and walked Tanner VanWinkle.

Schisler ended the inning by getting Ryan Ross out on a foul tip which catcher Michael Stupavsky held onto.

When the Raiders came back to the dugout, QND coach Ryan Oden asked Schisler if he was feeling OK and he shook his head that all was fine. He simply needed to work out some kinks.

“I probably sat a little too long between warming up and pitching,” Schisler said. “You have to learn from it for next time.”

Schisler retired the side in the second and third innings and worked around a two-out error in the fourth. He set down the final 10 batters he faced in order.

“He really dialed it in and got better as the game went on,” Connoyer said.

Schisler struck out eight and walked one. He allowed just three hits.

“I’m starting to throw a slider a little bit, and it was working pretty well,” Schisler said. “My favorite part was the defense making plays for me. The guys made incredible plays.”

That included diving catches by center fielder Ben Kasparie and left fielder Harry Oden, and first baseman Dalton Miller going to the fence in foul territory to track down a popup.

“Having my defense make plays really helped me out,” Schisler said.

Leading 2-0 in the fifth, the Raiders rattled across four runs, highlighted by RBI singles from Miller and Oden and a two-run double from Brady Kindhart. QND finished with six hits, but it was Connoyer’s jolt that got everything rolling.

“Oh, that gave us a pretty big one,” Connoyer said. “The next inning, we came back out and fired right at them.”

Schisler sensed the change in energy.

“It really gets everyone going,” Schisler said. “It helps everyone else hit. It helps everyone else field. It especially helps me to know that I can pitch with a lead, and if they hit it, they hit it. We’ll go catch it.”

Against St. Charles, Kasparie allowed one hit and struck out four over three innings. The offense did the rest, scoring 19 runs on 12 hits in the first inning with six walks and three hit batters. Oden went 2 for 2 with a double, home run and three RBIs, while Miller homered, Kasparie drove in four runs and Tucker Tollerton and Kasparie both scored three times.

Hannibal picked up a 12-5 victory over St. Charles. Ross went 2 for 4 with three RBIs, while VanWinkle homered and Scott finished 2 for 3. Thomas Janes and Evan Harsell combined to strike out seven and allowed four earned runs for the Pirates.