Bearcats sweep doubleheader

By Jim Metcalfe, The Delphos Herald
Published:  Tuesday, May 6, 2008 (3 months, 3 weeks ago)
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SPENCERVILLE — Spencerville got strong pitching in both games of Saturday’s baseball twinbill with St. John’s at windy Spencer Township Park.
Two unearned runs got them a 2-1 win over Taylor Bowersock and the Blue Jays in Game 1.
They battered the Blue Jays for 15 hits and a 12-3 romp to sweep the afternoon.
“Our offense was non-existent. Even when we hit the ball, we really didn’t hit it hard in either game,” St. John’s Coach Dan Metzger began. “We did put the ball in play but not with any authority; their pitchers did a nice job of not letting us get solid swings.”
In the opener, Matt Wirth (7 IP, 5 hits, 1 unearned run, 1 base-on-balls, 6 Ks; 84 pitches, 53 strikes) and the southpaw Bowersock (1-3; 6 2/3 IP, 5 hits, 2 unearned runs, 4 walks, 7 strikeouts, 4 wild pitches) went at it toe-to-toe.
In game 2, Jake Nye (7 IP, 4 hits, 3 earned runs, 2 walks, 3 hit batters, 3 Ks; 71 pitches, 42 strikes) got the win for the Bearcats (5-10).
“Matt and Jake are our fourth and fifth pitchers and they gave us great performances today. Both were pounding the strike zone and really mixing it up,” Bearcat coach Doug Stetler noted. “I’m not sure we’ve had a complete game with so few pitches as Matt did and then Jake does even better. Jake has struggled finding the strike zone so far but he was right there today.”
In the opener, the Jays (6-11) scored their lone run in the sixth. With one down, Bowersock walked and swiped second. Curt Metzger struck out on a pitch in the dirt and drew the throw to first. The relay to third was off-line to get Bowersock, allowing him to come across for a 1-0 lead.
He retired the batters in order in the home half, with Wirth doing the same in the top half of the seventh.
In the Bearcat seventh, Chris Broecker got aboard via a fielding error to lead it off and Wirth walked. Pinch-hitter Cory Layman bunted both Broecker and pinch-runner Adam Wolfe up a base. Jeremy Hudson bounced one to short; Ty Bergfeld’s throw home was too late to get Broecker and Hudson took second on the relay to third. An out later, with a 2-1 count, Bowersock uncorked one past catcher Chris Pohlman; with plenty of room between the plate and the backstop, Wolfe easily scored.
“It’s a tough way to lose; Taylor did a great job pitching,” Metzger continued. “When you are struggling to score runs, you need to be perfect in the field. We only made one error but that’s all it took today.”
St. John’s got its leadoff batter, Jeremy Kline, to third with two down in the first but failed to score.
They also got Pohlman to third in the second — leadoff double — with two down but again failed to tally.
The hosts got runners to second (Nate Rice) and third (Wirth) with two down in the second but did not score.
The Blue and Gold got a leadoff infield hit by Brandon Hemker in the third and he stole second but he was gunned down by centerfielder Seth Monfort trying to get to third.
Spencerville got a 1-out looper from Broecker in the fourth and a wild pitch got him to second but no farther.
Joel Pohlman reached third with two down in the fifth for the visitors (single, sacrifice by Mitch Maclennan and a groundout by Hemker) but was left there.
In the nightcap, Bowersock beat out an infield hit with two down in the first frame and swiped a base but was left stranded.
Spencerville had no such problem in the home half against J. Pohlman (1-4). With one out, Andy Richardson walked and Damon Koverman (3-for-3, 3 runs) beat out an infield nibbler to short. Tyler Keysor (4-for-4, 3 runs) lashed a 2-out double to deep right center to score them both. A solid hit to left center by Monfort (2-for-4, 2 RBIs) put runners on the corners. Monfort stole second. Broecker (3 runs batted in) bounced out to short to score Keysor for a 3-0 spread.
Jordan Rode was plunked with one out in the visitors’ half of the second but could get no farther.
Again, the Bearcats had no problem in their turn. Hudson (3 runs, 2 walks) was walked and stole second to lead it off. An out hence, Richardson’s comebacker got Hudson to third — beating the relay from first baseman Austin Vogt — and he scored on Koverman’s line double to right. Keysor’s bloop to left put runners on the corners. After Keysor filched second, Monfort waxed a 2-run double to deep left; he was gunned down at third by Bowersock to keep the score at 6-0.
With two down in the Jays’ third, Bergfeld was hit by a pitch and robbed second. Again, he was stranded (6 for the game).
Spencerville got it rolling again in the fourth. Hudson walked and advanced on a wild pitch. An out hence, Hemker dove but could not catch Richardson’s liner to center, plating Hudson on a double. Koverman walked to finish Pohlman on the mound and bring Hemker in to throw.
Keysor greeted him with a single to center to load the bases. An out later, Broecker’s drive to center just tipped off a diving Bowersock’s glove, plating Richardson and Koverman and putting runners on the corners. Keysor scored on a pop infield hit by Nye for a 10-0 lead.
With the Jays needing to score a run in the fifth to stay alive, they got three. With one down, Vogt singled to right. Pinch-runner Maclennan was balked to second. Hemker was hit by a pitch. Kline lined a knock up the middle to load the bases. A free pass to Bergfeld forced Maclennan home. Bowersock forced Bergfeld at second to score Hemker. On a double steal, Bowersock drew a throw, allowing Kline to touch home base.
Spencerville scored twice in the home half. Hudson got to second via a throwing error on his grounder. Tyler Deitering sliced a blast through the wind (gusting toward right field all day) to left field for a 2-run round-tripper.
“I told the kids between games to be aggressive at the plate; if they saw a strike on the first pitch, attack it. We didn’t want to wait around; I think what happened in the game before carried over,” Stetler added. “Defensively, the way we played against Paulding Thursday and today was the best we’ve played all season. We’ve been solid but even better the last three games. It makes things easier when you have a good catcher like Chris Broecker; that all helps the pitcher.”
The Jays tried to rally in the seventh. Vogt walked but was forced at second by Hemker. He robbed second and went to third on a single to left by Kline. However, Nye retired the next two to end the afternoon.
“No question, the seventh inning of the first game carried over to the second,” Metzger added. “With the draw (Sunday), these two losses really hurt. We’ll have to see what happens.”
Ada comes to Spencerville 5 p.m. today; the Jays head to Coldwater 5 p.m. Tuesday.

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