Onekama’s Joe Eno connects with the ball during the first game of a doubleheader against Manistee Catholic Central on Tuesday. (Dylan Savela/News Advocate)
ONEKAMA — With two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth inning in Tuesday’s nightcap, Onekama’s Dallas Hearit knocked a double that cleared the bases.
When Manistee Catholic Central responded with a rally in the fifth, pitcher Jon Eno limited the damage while the Sabers left runners on the bags.
Baseball is a game of situations, and the team that seizes the most should be in the best shape. The Portagers (10-3) were the opportunists Tuesday in a sweep of MCC (4-6), in which they ran away with a 13-2 opener in five innings and held on for a 12-6 victory in the nightcap.
“I think today — and the second game especially — was decided on getting hits with two outs and men on base,” Onekama coach John Neph said of the non-West Michigan D League doubleheader. “I think the games were closer than what the score indicated, and it really came down to one hit here, one hit there.
“I think those swung everything.”
In each game, the Portagers were sparked by an eight-run frame. In the opener, the big inning was the third which led to a large enough lead to end the game in five innings.
Bryce Reckow and Jon Acton each knocked a triple to lead the way at the plate, while a committee of pitchers — Curtis McKenney, Joe Eno, and Jared Bair — got the job done on the mound.
“The pitching was good — not great,” Neph said, “but we had some guys that got out there and gutted out some good wins.”
