ALBANY - Three could be the magic number for Albany junior starting pitcher Ethan Pfeuti.
Pfeuti, for the third time this season, pitched against Monticello and the Comets picked up a 6-4 win in a WIAA Division 4 regional quarterfinal game Friday, May 24.
"It feels great to beat Monticello for the third time this year," said Pfeuti, who went 2-for-4 with one RBI. "It's hard to beat a team three times in a row."
Pfeuti is hoping the number three will remain a lucky number as Albany (5-12) advances to the regional semifinal game and will play at No. 1 seed Black Hawk Tuesday, May 28 for the third time this season. Black Hawk defeated Albany 3-1 in eight innings May 7 and beat the Comets 10-7 on Logan Stietz's three-run walk-off home run in South Wayne April 22.
Albany coach Brandon Bakken had no reservations about pitching Pfeuti for the third time against the Ponies.
"He's our ace," Bakken said. "He's our most consistent pitcher for throwing strikes. I'm really proud of him tonight."
Monticello (1-20) committed eight errors and the Comets scored four runs off those miscues. The Ponies had two runners thrown out at third base after pickle plays and one runner thrown out at home in the fourth inning.
"The errors were huge and the baserunning hurt us," Monticello coach Scott White said. "We left at least three runs on the bases. Who knows what would have happened if you extend the inning? When you give them four or five outs and leave at least three runs on the bases, it compounds things and you are backing yourself into a corner."
Pfeuti singled in the first and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch by Monticello senior Bryce Klitzke. Pfeuti came around to score when junior Mitchell Kauk reached on a dropped fly ball to give the Comets a 1-0 lead.
Klitzke had a stellar game going 4-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs. Klitzke lined a two-run single to give the Ponies a 2-1 lead. Klitzke pitched a complete game and five of the six runs he gave up were unearned due to errors and hit batters.
"Bryce went out like a champion today," White said. "It's probably his best game all year. I told him you have to command the mound and have a little arrogance. He did that tonight."
The Ponies had seven stolen bases led by Aaron Hefty who finished with three.
The Comets answered in the bottom of the second after seniors Tyler Van Dusen and Patrick Deegan both singled. Klitzke hit Devin Deegan to load the bases and hit Clinton Sullivan to knock in the game-tying run to tie the game at 2.
The Comets broke the game open in the fourth. Devin Deegan doubled leading off the fourth. Albany freshman Tyler Dahl moved him into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Sullivan reached on an error allowing Deegan to score to give the Comets a 3-2 lead. Pfeuti delivered an RBI single to left to extend the Comets' lead to 4-2.
"Coach always says put the ball in play and things will happen," Pfeuti said. "When we hit the ball hard, errors will happen even to the perfect team."
After giving up two unearned runs, the Ponies battled back from a 6-2 deficit in the seventh. Klitzke crushed a double to center and Pfeuti walked Tyler Pusel. Monticello freshman Dez Hannenberger knocked in two runs after a dropped fly ball in left to cut the Comets' lead to 6-4. That was as close as they would get as Pfeuti struck out Jake Pusel to end the game.
Albany will now focus on knocking off Black hawk next week in the regional semifinal.
"I would expect it to be a competitive game," Bakken said. "We will have to play as error-free as we can."
Pfeuti, for the third time this season, pitched against Monticello and the Comets picked up a 6-4 win in a WIAA Division 4 regional quarterfinal game Friday, May 24.
"It feels great to beat Monticello for the third time this year," said Pfeuti, who went 2-for-4 with one RBI. "It's hard to beat a team three times in a row."
Pfeuti is hoping the number three will remain a lucky number as Albany (5-12) advances to the regional semifinal game and will play at No. 1 seed Black Hawk Tuesday, May 28 for the third time this season. Black Hawk defeated Albany 3-1 in eight innings May 7 and beat the Comets 10-7 on Logan Stietz's three-run walk-off home run in South Wayne April 22.
Albany coach Brandon Bakken had no reservations about pitching Pfeuti for the third time against the Ponies.
"He's our ace," Bakken said. "He's our most consistent pitcher for throwing strikes. I'm really proud of him tonight."
Monticello (1-20) committed eight errors and the Comets scored four runs off those miscues. The Ponies had two runners thrown out at third base after pickle plays and one runner thrown out at home in the fourth inning.
"The errors were huge and the baserunning hurt us," Monticello coach Scott White said. "We left at least three runs on the bases. Who knows what would have happened if you extend the inning? When you give them four or five outs and leave at least three runs on the bases, it compounds things and you are backing yourself into a corner."
Pfeuti singled in the first and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch by Monticello senior Bryce Klitzke. Pfeuti came around to score when junior Mitchell Kauk reached on a dropped fly ball to give the Comets a 1-0 lead.
Klitzke had a stellar game going 4-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs. Klitzke lined a two-run single to give the Ponies a 2-1 lead. Klitzke pitched a complete game and five of the six runs he gave up were unearned due to errors and hit batters.
"Bryce went out like a champion today," White said. "It's probably his best game all year. I told him you have to command the mound and have a little arrogance. He did that tonight."
The Ponies had seven stolen bases led by Aaron Hefty who finished with three.
The Comets answered in the bottom of the second after seniors Tyler Van Dusen and Patrick Deegan both singled. Klitzke hit Devin Deegan to load the bases and hit Clinton Sullivan to knock in the game-tying run to tie the game at 2.
The Comets broke the game open in the fourth. Devin Deegan doubled leading off the fourth. Albany freshman Tyler Dahl moved him into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Sullivan reached on an error allowing Deegan to score to give the Comets a 3-2 lead. Pfeuti delivered an RBI single to left to extend the Comets' lead to 4-2.
"Coach always says put the ball in play and things will happen," Pfeuti said. "When we hit the ball hard, errors will happen even to the perfect team."
After giving up two unearned runs, the Ponies battled back from a 6-2 deficit in the seventh. Klitzke crushed a double to center and Pfeuti walked Tyler Pusel. Monticello freshman Dez Hannenberger knocked in two runs after a dropped fly ball in left to cut the Comets' lead to 6-4. That was as close as they would get as Pfeuti struck out Jake Pusel to end the game.
Albany will now focus on knocking off Black hawk next week in the regional semifinal.
"I would expect it to be a competitive game," Bakken said. "We will have to play as error-free as we can."
