Knights push past Wildcats

By Site Administrator, Staff Reporter
Published:  Friday, June 8, 2007 (1 year, 7 months ago)
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DELPHOS — In an ACME baseball game of rally and counter-rally, the Crestview Knights downed the Jefferson Wildcats 5-4 at Wildcat Field  Wednesday evening.
The Van Wert County guests used small-ball to gain the triumph.
With two gone in the sixth, Ryan Rainey singled, Nick Ulrey was hit by an errant Sean Fisher offering and Tony Burger doubled in the tying and winning tallies.
The Knights used a similar style to aid their cause in the fifth frame. Ulrey singled and took third on a Burger single. Both came home on a Tony Sarka double. He came home on a suicide squeeze bunt by Tony Springer.
“Give Crestview credit for executing timely bunts,” Jefferson coach Troy Montenery commented. “It would be nice to figure out how to beat these guys.”
Crestview stranded Peter Zollars, who got a 2-out walk from Josh Miller in the first.
With one out in the first, Cory Bastian singled. One out later, Fisher singled but both were left on base when Adam Kraning was retired.
“We left a lot on base (11),” Montenery lamented. “We had productive innings but didn’t score. We needed timely hits here and there. That came back to haunt us.”
The Knights left Kyle Balliet (leadoff double) and Eric Clay (single) on base in the second. Miller struck out Matt Speaks and Rainey and then retired Ulrey to get out of the pickle.
Damon Joseph started the Wildcat second off with a single but was out on a Chris Wilkin fielder’s choice. One out later, Matt Antalis coaxed a base-on-balls off Burger but both were stranded when Aaron Schuerman was retired.
Jefferson seemed to have momentum going its way in the third as Bastian coaxed a full-count walk off Burger to start the frame. One out later, Fisher hit an opposite-field home run to left.
The Wildcats seemed to have a 2-out rally going in the fourth. Taylor Hesseling (pinch-hitting for Antalis) singled, followed by Schuerman and Bastian. However, Miller forced Bastian at second to end the frame.
Jefferson knotted the contest in the fifth when Fisher singled and romped home on a Joseph single one out later.
In the sixth, the Wildcats, down 5-3, rallied when Bastian and Miller got free passes. Fisher grounded to third baseman Burger, who forced Bastian. However, Burger, in attempting to double up Fisher, threw wildly to first base, allowing Miller to score and Fisher to take third. However, Balliet retired Kraning and struck out Joseph to end the Wildcat threat.
Zollars doubled to start the seventh and went to third on a Springer sacrifice. But Fisher bore down and retired Balliet and fanned Clay to leave Zollars at third.
“We pitched well and played good ‘D’,” Montenery concluded. “I’m proud of the way we bounced back after the loss to Van Wert.”
Crestview improves to 2-1.
Jefferson falls to 1-2 and will travel to LaFayette to do battle with the Mustangs of Allen East 6 p.m. Friday.

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