Portagers
sweep Sabers, stay unbeaten in D League
MATT WENZEL, Manistee News Advocate
Sports Editor
Published:
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
ONEKAMA — Two wins, one big step
for the Onekama baseball team.
By sweeping a doubleheader from Manistee Catholic Central on Monday,
the Portagers moved closer to a West Michigan D League title, and
also all but knocked the Sabers out of the race.
“Obviously, this is a huge, huge doubleheader win for us,” said
Onekama coach John Neph. “To take two from them is huge.”
The Portagers won the opener, 3-2, and completed the sweep with an
11-7 victory in the nightcap to stay unbeaten in the West Michigan D
League.
“Our bats weren’t there all
night,” said MCC coach Jerry Peterson, whose team had it’s 10-game
winning streak snapped. “Guys that normally hit the ball had three-K
nights. That’s just not us.”
In the opener, the Portagers prevailed in a pitchers’ duel between
Onekama’s Thomas Koon and MCC’s Nick Doyle.
Doyle, who could only throw 15 outs before being forced to rest,
amazingly recorded all of them on strikeouts, while giving up two
runs on one hit and five walks over five innings. Koon nearly
matched him, recording 11 strikeouts and allowing two runs on two
hits.
Onekama took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning on a
two-run double by Kevin O’Connor. MCC tied the game in the top of
the sixth on an RBI double from Mason Clark and a steal of home.
After Doyle had to exit, Garrett Owens entered in relief for the
Sabers and took the loss. Joe Kosiboski hit a double, Alex Block
singled and was replaced by pinch runner Nathan Fitch, who went on
to score on a bases-loaded, two-out, wild pitch.
The Portagers (14-8, 10-0 WMD) broke open a 1-1 nightcap with seven
runs in the third inning. After the Sabers (14-9-1, 9-3 WMD) scored
five in the fourth to pull within two, Onekama responded with three
in the fifth to put the game away.
Doyle went 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Alex Hogan and Jarred Janicki
both each a hit and drove in a run. Nathan Papes started the second
game for MCC and allowed five runs on three hits and three walks
before giving way to Nathan Miller, who threw the final four innings
and gave up six runs on seven hits and four walks.
“Onekama’s a good team,” Peterson said. “They have a pretty full
fleet of hitters. That helps.”
Peterson said that despite coming off a tournament win on Saturday,
his team wasn’t tired. In fact, it’s the opposite. “Our schedule was
too light,” he said. “We just didn’t have enough playing time out
there. We need more games.”
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Onekama’s Kevin O’Connor rips
a two-run single during the second game of a West Michigan D League
doubleheader against Manistee Catholic Central on Monday. (Matt
Wenzel/News Advocate)
Dan Gillespie started for the
Portagers and gave up three runs on seven hits and two walks over 3 1/3
innings, while striking out three. Kosiboski finished the game and
allowed four runs on three hits and two walks to go with four
strikeouts.
“Joe put out the fire,” Neph said. “I’m pleased with how our senior
pitchers did. I know MCC can hit the snot out of the ball.”
Joe Eno had two hits, including a
double, and drove in three to lead the Portagers, while O’Connor went
3-for-4 with two RBIs. Koon, Fitch and Jared Miller both had two hits
and drove in a run, while Block went 1-for-2 with an RBI.
Neph said following the death of Onekama teacher Paul Foster on
Thursday, the team didn’t practice on Friday, but simply gathered to
talk about moving forward.
“We wanted to dedicate the game for someone beyond ourselves,” Neph
said. “We wanted to do something.”
“I’m just proud of these guys. It was a huge win.”
The Portagers have just two league series left on the schedule, and both
will be crucial in securing a title. Onekama’s doubleheader against
Pentwater last week was rained out and postponed until May 26, but the
first test comes against Brethren on Thursday.
The Bobcats have just one loss in the league and are also still in the
hunt for a title.
“It’s for all the marbles,” Koon said of Thursday’s doubleheader.
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