Bobcats knock off Portagers
By DYLAN SAVELA: Manistee News Advocate
Sports Writer
Published:
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
FRANKFORT — With a 6-0 lead over Onekama in
the bottom of the fourth, Brethren pitcher Lexi Lakso sensed her
first sign of trouble brewing while on the mound.
The Bobcats couldn’t afford to lose the healthy lead Tuesday in
Frankfort, because, after all, it was a Division 4 District
Quarterfinal — it was win or go home.
After loading the bases, and walking in two Portagers across the
plate, Lakso still needed an out to end the threat.
“It got a little scary there,” said Bobcats coach Phil Sedlar, “We
called time, and went out and talked to her. She was getting a
little frustrated, but she just had to settle down and get it back.
We were ready, if we needed to pull her, but we didn’t have to.”
The chat helped. Lakso struck out the
next batter and finished out the game, helping her Bobcats to a 6-4
win and a trip to Saturday’s semifinal against Manistee Catholic
Central.
“That was a good one. They played pretty good ball,” Sedlar said of
the win. “We screwed up a few times, put ourselves out of a few
plays. But, we pulled it off. We’re very happy.”
The two West Michigan D League schools split a doubleheader back on
May 20, so Tuesday’s post season showdown was a bit of a rubber
match as well.
Brethren (11-19), who batted first in the outing, was walked twice
and in turn plated a run in the top half of the opening inning.
Lakso held the Portagers hitless for the first two innings, and
scoreless for the first three.
“I think the big thing for us was we just didn’t hit the ball,”
Onekama coach Phil Sedelmaier said. “Lexi does a good job. She
throws the ball really well, and fairly hard. We just, for some
reason, couldn’t catch up to her. Especially those first two
innings.
“Speed wise, she wasn’t overwhelming, but she did a good job
locating her pitch. We seemed to get more patient as the game went
on, but early in the game, we struggled a bit.”
Lakso finished the outing with five strikeouts while giving up four
runs on 11 hits and six walks in seven innings of work.
She managed to get herself out of trouble too, as the Portagers left
14 base runners stranded throughout.
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The Bobcats put up two runs in the third as
Danny Brenner knocked a two-run double before Brethren jumped to a 6-0
lead with a three-run fourth.
Onekama (11-15) put up their two-run dent in the fourth before leaving
the bases loaded, while each team went scoreless in the fifth and sixth.
The Portagers again sparked a rally in the last
half inning, as Jennica Mathieu got on base with a single before
stealing second, third and home all on an error. Senior Diamond Kimpel
knocked in another run to close the gap to two, but the Bobcats quickly
shut the door.
Onekama’s
Elizabeth Bergren slides safely into second base (Dylan Savela/News
Advocate)
At the plate, Brethren was led by Brenner who had two hits including a
double with two RBIs while Annie MacNeil had two hits, Lakso had a hit
and an RBI, Briana Underwood, Tiffany Capps and Andrea Waldo each
singled and Elana Hickok added an RBI.
On the mound for the Portagers, Brooke Sedelmaier pitched the first 3
2/3 innings with two strikeouts while giving up five hits and 10 walks,
while Emily Bergren pitched 3 1/3 innings of relief, striking out two
while giving up three hits and one walk.
At the plate for Onekama, Ashley Schultz had
three hits, Elizabeth Bergren had two hits with a double and an RBI,
Diamond Kimpel had two hits with an RBI, Mathieu had two hits, and
Kaylan Fitch and Katie Prielipp each singled.
“We made some silly mistakes,” Sedelmaier said of the loss. “We just
weren’t on the same page today, but we’re young.
“The one thing we can take away this year is our underclassmen really
stepped up and played probably beyond what I expected from them,” he
added. “From the start of the season I think they all greatly improved.
We had a great bunch of seniors too with Ashley Schultz, Katie Prielipp,
and Diamond Kimpel. They’ve been on every team I’ve coached since I
started here. It’ll be weird not to have them on the team.”
As for the Bobcats, they live to see another day. And that day will be
Saturday against the Sabers, |
