MCC, Onekama split
D doubleheader
By MATT WENZEL
Manistee News Advocate Sports Editor
MANISTEE — Both Manistee Catholic Central and
Onekama went into Thursday’s doubleheader at Rietz Park unbeaten in the
West Michigan D League.
The Sabers and Portagers played a game fitting of league leaders.
Well, one game.
MCC opened the series with a 10-0, five-inning, mercy-rule win over
Onekama, before the Portagers battled back for a 3-2 win in the
seven-inning nightcap on three unearned runs.
With the second game tied at 2 with two
outs in the bottom of the seventh and the bases loaded, Onekama’s Chris
Wright scored from third base on a passed ball for the winning run to
split the series.
“They got us pretty good the first game,” said Onekama coach John Neph.
“The second game was about pitching. I thought both guys threw really
well. We were fortunate with a couple of those runs coming across and we
were fortunate to get that last run across. But, our guys played hard
the whole game and I thought it was a great job by them to come back.”
Onekama’s Thomas Koon and MCC’s Nick Doyle both threw complete games in
the nightcap, and both recorded double-digit strikeouts.
Doyle, who pitched the last two innings of the first game, allowed just
two hits over seven innings to go with 10 strikeouts. Koon allowed nine
hits and struck out 11.
The Sabers (12-6, 7-1) may have outhit the Portagers (10-6, 6-1), but
left 14 runners on base and defensive errors proved costly.
“The first game, the came out and wanted to play,” MCC coach Jerry
Peterson said of his players. “The second game, it almost looked like
the food got to them. They got a little lazy, and made errors, and
errors against Onekama can prove to be a loss, especially when they’re
pitching one of their better pitchers.”
In the opener, MCC scored two runs in the first, two in the second, one
in the third and five in the fourth for the 10-0 win.
Chris Ludwig pitched the first three innings for MCC and had two
strikeouts while Doyle threw the final two innings and had four
strikeouts.
Doyle led the Sabers at the plate with a 3-3 performance that included a
single, double and triple, Ludwig went 2-3 and Jordan Janowiak was 1-2.
Dan Gillespie threw three-plus innings for the Portagers and gave up
eight hits and seven runs with three strikeouts while Kyle Acker pitched
the final inning. |
Manistee Catholic Central
catcher Jake Szymanski (right) reaches to tag Onekama’s Zach
Teachout at home during the sixth inning of the second game of a
doubleheader Thursday. Teachout was called out, but the Portagers
got the winning run the next inning. (Matt Wenzel/News Advocate)
In the second game, MCC took a 1-0 lead in
the top of the first on a fielders’ choice RBI by Doyle. Onekama
responded in the third inning when Koon scored on a wild pitch and
Hunter Slade came home in the same at bat on a passed ball for the 2-1
lead.
The Sabers tied the game in the top of the fourth on an RBI single by
Janowiak. Onekama had a chance to
win the game in the sixth inning when Zach Teachout was attempting to
steal third and a throw by MCC catcher Jake Szymanski ended up in left
field.
But, MCC rightfielder Nathan Miller made the throw and Szymanski tagged
Teachout at the plate.
Onekama made good on its opportunities in the seventh as Wright scored
from third on a passed ball to end the game.
“It wasn’t pretty, but we’ll take it,” Neph said. “We had a little talk
between games and we came out and played hard the second game and that
was really important.
“It’s just a huge win for us. MCC has an outstanding team. It was an
exciting second game.”
Teachout and Ryan Miller each went 1-3 for Onekama. Ludwig and Nathan
Perry both had two hits, while Janowiak, Garrett Owens, Doyle, Nathan
Miller and Nate Jankowski each had a hit.
However, the Sabers struggled to get runners home.
“We were pushing runs across in the first game with two outs,” said MCC
assistant coach Matt Stefanski. “In the second game, we couldn’t get
hits when we needed them. When you can’t push them across, that kills
you.”
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