Redskins fall in season opener
Play ball!
Those two words have been a long time coming for area baseball and softball teams, and they were finally heard on Saturday.
Wapakoneta battled before coming up a bit short in its season opener, falling 5-3 to visiting Northmont at Mercyhealth Field.
Northmont goth a couple of runs in the second, then added one run in both the this and fourth. The Redskins manufactured one in the fourth, but the visitors came back with one in the fifth. The Redskins cut the gap with two in the sixth, but that would be it.
Ben Zink got the win for the Thunderbolts, pitching six innings. He allowed three runs on three hits and no walks, while recording 13 strikeouts.
Taking the loss was starter Braeden Goulet. The junior lefthander allowed five runs on five hits. He struck out seven and walked three. Trevor Crow and Landon
Brandt each pitched one inning of relief. Crow gave up two hits and two walks, while Brandt allowed one hit and one walk.
Goulet had a double, while Ryan Camper and Cooper Talowsky each had hits. Talowsky drove in
two of the runs on the day.
Wapakoneta manager Jason Brandt was happy with the effort, despite the final result. “It’s great to be back on the field,” Brandt said. “Opening Day is an enjoyable moment.”
He noted that the
team was able to compete against Zink, who he called one of the best pitchers he has seen in his years of coaching. He added the Redskins had six players making their first start, either at varsity or at a new position.
“We got three guys to throw. Little things like that can go a long way,” Brandt said.
Both teams went in order in the first inning.
In the top of the second, Alex Daugherty drew a leadoff walk for Northmont. King then hit a grounder to third base. The throw to second was offline, allowing Daugherty to advance.
Nate Rylick then singled up the middle to drive in Northmont’s first run of the game. A successful bunt by Johnny Reser then loaded the bases with no one out.
Goulet struck out the next batter. The following hitter also swung and missed at strike three, but the ball got past Talowsky and King scored. A groundout ended the inning with Northmont up 2-0.
Zink struck out the side in the bottom of the second, two of them on called strikes.
A infield hit for Brady Hobert started the Northmont third. Zink then singled down the line in left. Both runners moved up on a sacrifice bunt. King grounded out to shortstop. However, Hobert was able to zip down the line ahead of the throw to make it 3-0.
second, Thompson singled to center with one out. Shaylin Cook was put in a as a courtesy runner and stole second.
Jeanneret singled to right to bring Cook around to score. Wilson drew a walk, but a strikeout ended the frame.
Schroeder, West and Corrin Wilder all drew walks to begin the Wapakoneta third. Doseck bunted with Riverdale getting the force out at home.
An error allowed Thompson to reach, and both West and Wilder to score, making it 3-0.
Another walk reloaded the bases for the Lady Redskins. Jeannerert flew out to right, but it was deep enough to permit Doseck to tag up and score.
A line drive by Wilson
resulted in an error, with Cook scoring the fifth Redskins run.
Schroeder got a single in the bottom of the fourth, but was left on base as the next three batters were retired.
In the top of the fifth, the Lady Falcons bats’ woke up. Jeanneret gave up singles to the first two batters before Wilson was brought in to pitch.
She struck out the first batter she faced. Riverdale then got three more singles, with four runs scoring in the process.
After an error, Wapakoneta got an out on the next ball in play, but Riverdale also scored to tie the game.
Two more hits led to the sixth run for the visitors. Wilson then closed things out with two strikeouts.
After Wapakoneta left one aboard in the bottom of the fifth, Riverdale added a run in the sixth.
The Lady Skins went in order in the sixth, and seventh innings to close out the contest.
Wapakoneta (0-1) will be in action today when they will host Spencerville. Game time is 5 p.m.