MARIA STEIN — One error was all it took.
St. John’s had battled to a 2-all tie in the bottom of the sixth versus Marion Local Friday night.
An error with two outs in the bottom half let the door open for the host Flyers and two unearned runs gave them a 4-2 Midwest Athletic Conference victory over the Blue Jays on a windy spring afternoon.
“That’s all it takes. We had the error and they score two runs off of it,” Jays coach Dan Metzger noted. “We almost have to be perfect in the field, especially when we struggle to score runs, like tonight. Overall, we were good defensively; we can be better.”
The Flyers (4-6, 1-1 MAC) had rallied with two in the fifth to knot the score 2-2.
Troy Prenger led off the bottom of the inning against southpaw starter Taylor Bowersock (1-2; 6 frames, 9 hits, 4 runs, 2 earned, 3 walks, 3 strikeouts; 97 pitches, 63 strikes) with a flare to right center for a hit. Jason Wolters (2-for-2) sacrificed him to second. Tyler Thobe flied to right to get him to third. The Jays could not handle Jared Prenger’s ground ball for an error and a run. A passed ball got J. Prenger to second. Jarron Griesdorn walked. A flare to left center by Chris Stucke plated Prenger for a 4-2 lead.
Southpaw Monte Imwalle (1-0, 79 pitches, 52 strikes; 7 innings, 2 hits, 2 earned runs, 1 base-on-balls, 9 Ks) set the Jays down 1-2-3 in the seventh to end it.
“Monte did a nice job keeping the ball on the outer part of the plate. The ump was giving that outside strike, so he and (catcher) Ben (Smith) adjusted and kept it there,” Marion coach Greg Bruns said. “That’s part of good pitching; understanding the strike zone. Bowersock did a nice job of that, too.”
Imwalle did such a nice job of that, he kept the Jays hitless until the fifth.
“We were really slow to make that adjustment. We’re going to see pitchers do that to us until we do,” Metzger continued. “We have to learn how to keep our hands and weight back and drive that ball to the right side unstead of trying to pull it and hit weak grounders. That will be a point of emphasis when we get back to practice Monday.”
In that inning, Curt Metzger led off with a single and Nate Webb walked. Jeremy Kline sacrificed them up a base. An out later, Ryan Fischer drove them both in an opposite-field double to left center and a 2-0 lead.
Up to that point, despite a brisk wind blowing out toward left center, Bowersock had scattered four Flyer hits, twice picking men off base to aid the cause.
The Flyers nicked him in their half. With one gone, Jared Prenger got an infield hit to second but was picked off. Griesdorn and Stucke walked. Marcus Moeller also went the opposite way — left center — for a 2-run double to knot the score at 2.
“Taylor pitched another great game. He kept the ball down,” Metzger added. “In the fifth, he got a little tired, got the ball up in the strike zone and lost his location for a while. We had four games this week and won two. We’re improving; we just have to keep doing so.”
The Jays return to the diamond Tuesday at Versailles.
“I like how we bounced back quickly after they scored their runs. It could have been over then the way things have gone for us this year,” Bruns added.
Marion Local hosts Ansonia for a doubleheader today.