Grayson Morningstar shines for Richmond-Burton

WOODSTOCK – His name suggests he is destined for bright lights and a marquee.

Richmond-Burton sophomore baseball player Grayson Morningstar said Harvard’s PA announcer had fun saying his name Saturday when the Rockets played a Kishwaukee River Conference doubleheader.

How could anyone not enjoy saying the name Grayson Morningstar?

“People like it. I like it,” Morningstar said with a smile Monday after pitching six quality innings in leading R-B to its third KRC win a row, 10-3 over Woodstock at Emricson Park.

Richmond-Burton (4-8, 3-2) enjoys having Morningstar’s name on its roster. The 5-foot-10, 130-pound righty won six games for the varsity last season and improved to 2-2 this spring with his effort against Woodstock (3-7, 1-3). He allowed three runs (one earned), struck out eight and walked one.

“He didn’t have his best stuff today, but what was nice for him was he battled through it,” said coach Mike Giese, whose Rockets host Woodstock on Wednesday. “He had what felt like a lot of long counts, but he grinded through, and hopefully he just grew up a little bit more today.”

Morningstar threw a fastball, changeup, curve and slider. He was around the strike zone all day while scattering eight hits, including a two-run double to Sonny Marsalla that gave Woodstock a 2-0 lead in the first inning.

“Probably my slider [was most effective],” Morningstar said. “They had a bad front foot, so I was just reading that. They were sitting fastball.”

Joseph Larsen and Cooper Nagel, the Nos. 2 and 3 hitters in Giese’s batting order, led R-B’s 14-hit attack. Larsen went 4 for 5 with a deep fly out to left field. Nagel was 4 for 4 with an RBI double. Morningstar finished 3 for 4 with an RBI single from the No. 9 hole, and Luke Johnson went 2 for 4 with an RBI single and a stolen base.

Ryan Scholberg successfully executed a suicide squeeze bunt, and freshman cleanup hitter Anthony Harvey had RBIs thanks to getting hit by a pitch and walking with the bases loaded.

“We’re starting to find our way a little bit,” Giese said. “We’re playing better. Our pitching is what we needed to figure out a little more. We’re kind of there.”

The Rockets, who swept Harvard on Saturday, have their longest winning streak of the season. They do not have a senior on their team.

“Right now is our turning point,” Morningstar said. “I think we’re getting it turned around.”

Woodstock sophomore starter Grady Goglin kept the Rockets off the scoreboard until the third inning, when the visitors scored five times to take the lead for good. R-B sent nine batters to the plate, taking advantage of a walk, hit batsman and bunt single by Larsen. Ray Hannemann doubled home a run off Goglin after Woodstock turned a 5-2-3 double play.

Goglin pitched four innings, allowing six runs and striking out four.

“He does a good job,” Blue Streaks coach Ian Rago said. “We’ve been telling him to keep the ball down and that he’s got to hold baserunners a little bit better, but he’s going to get there. He’s young.”

Trevor Cote and Maximilian Haggerty had two hits apiece for Woodstock.

“Sometimes you beat yourself up, and Mike’s guys, for sure, are going to take advantage of any mistake you make,” Rago said. “That’s why he’s been so successful and does what he does. It’s always fun to play his teams.”