ARGYLE - Lance Rossing laid down a squeeze bunt in the 11th inning to knock in the game-winning run to give Argyle a 3-2 win over Ridgeway in a Home Talent League Western Section season opener Sunday, May 5.
Ridgeway relief pitcher Blake Welu pitched four innings in relief. He gave up just one run. He struggled during a stretch in the 11th inning, walking three straight to load the bases.
Rossing, who went 3-for-4, laid down a perfect bunt between Welu and first base to score J.J. Hogan to give the Beavers the win.
"It feels good to get off to a good start," Argyle player-manager Travis Erickson said. "Ridgeway has been a higher seed than us in the playoffs the last few years. It's nice to win at home. You don't want to give any of those away."
Argyle used three pitchers and combined to walk 12 and struck out 14. Lukas Kolasch pitched four innings and gave up just two runs, but only one earned run. Jarett Bauman tossed five innings in relief and gave up one hit. He walked six, but scattered them throughout the game. Justin Crotty pitched two innings and earned the win. He struck out four and walked two.
"It wasn't a high school game walk fest," Erickson said. "The walks didn't hurt us."
Argyle's Cory Stamm had an RBI single in the first inning and Andy Bohlman had a game-tying RBI single in the seventh.
Verona 13, Monroe 3
VERONA - The Monroe Brewers began a new journey with new manager Jeff Newcomer against defending Home Talent League champion Verona.
"Playing Verona in the first game of the year is always tough," Newcomer said. "I was very satisfied with the effort. They (Verona) just had some bloop hits that dropped in."
The Brewers used four pitchers in Newcomer's debut as player-manager. Ben Korth, who pitched 2 1/3 innings and gave up five runs on five hits took the loss. Newcomer started on the mound and in 2 1/3 innings he gave up two runs on four hits. He struck out three.
"I think pitching will be our strength," Newcomer said. "It's early in the season. We didn't want anyone to hurt their arms and miss the rest of the season."
Ben Conway tossed two innings in relief and gave up two runs on one hit. Brett Ritschard pitched one inning and gave up one unearned run. The four pitchers combined walked seven and hit one. The Brewers were playing short-handed with several players still in college.
Monroe had six hits. Adam Krebs went 1-for-1. Newcomer, Conway and Matt Busjahn were each 1-for-3. Scott White and Korth were each 1-for-4 with one RBI.
Hollandale 5, Wiota 4
HOLLANDALE - Pete Hefty laid down a suicide squeeze bunt in the 10th inning to drive in the game-winning run to give Hollandale a 5-4 win over Wiota.
Hollandale's Mike Schlimgen doubled off Wiota's Nick Flannery to lead off the 10th. Schlimgen stole third and Hefty came through with a squeeze bunt. Wiota gave up two unearned runs and committed three errors.
"It should not have come down to that in the 10th inning," Wiota manager Dick Schliem said. "Two of them (errors) were big because we gave up two unearned runs. That's baseball."
Wiota's Kyle Thompson pitched five no-hit shutout innings to get the and struck out four to get the win for the Rockies. Schlimgen started on the mound and pitched five innings. He gave up four runs on eight hits. He struck out one and walked two.
"The last five innings we never had a hit or a baserunner," Schliem said. "That was the story of the game."
Hollandale's Alex Schauff went 3-for-3 to lead the Rockies.
Wiota's Matt Keister went 2-for-4 and Merrill Brunson was 2-for-5.
Wiota's Jeff Solberg pitched 6 1/3 innings and gave up four runs on six hits. He struck out seven and walked four. Nick Flannery tossed three innings in relief and gave up one run on three hits. He struck out five and walked two.
Ridgeway relief pitcher Blake Welu pitched four innings in relief. He gave up just one run. He struggled during a stretch in the 11th inning, walking three straight to load the bases.
Rossing, who went 3-for-4, laid down a perfect bunt between Welu and first base to score J.J. Hogan to give the Beavers the win.
"It feels good to get off to a good start," Argyle player-manager Travis Erickson said. "Ridgeway has been a higher seed than us in the playoffs the last few years. It's nice to win at home. You don't want to give any of those away."
Argyle used three pitchers and combined to walk 12 and struck out 14. Lukas Kolasch pitched four innings and gave up just two runs, but only one earned run. Jarett Bauman tossed five innings in relief and gave up one hit. He walked six, but scattered them throughout the game. Justin Crotty pitched two innings and earned the win. He struck out four and walked two.
"It wasn't a high school game walk fest," Erickson said. "The walks didn't hurt us."
Argyle's Cory Stamm had an RBI single in the first inning and Andy Bohlman had a game-tying RBI single in the seventh.
Verona 13, Monroe 3
VERONA - The Monroe Brewers began a new journey with new manager Jeff Newcomer against defending Home Talent League champion Verona.
"Playing Verona in the first game of the year is always tough," Newcomer said. "I was very satisfied with the effort. They (Verona) just had some bloop hits that dropped in."
The Brewers used four pitchers in Newcomer's debut as player-manager. Ben Korth, who pitched 2 1/3 innings and gave up five runs on five hits took the loss. Newcomer started on the mound and in 2 1/3 innings he gave up two runs on four hits. He struck out three.
"I think pitching will be our strength," Newcomer said. "It's early in the season. We didn't want anyone to hurt their arms and miss the rest of the season."
Ben Conway tossed two innings in relief and gave up two runs on one hit. Brett Ritschard pitched one inning and gave up one unearned run. The four pitchers combined walked seven and hit one. The Brewers were playing short-handed with several players still in college.
Monroe had six hits. Adam Krebs went 1-for-1. Newcomer, Conway and Matt Busjahn were each 1-for-3. Scott White and Korth were each 1-for-4 with one RBI.
Hollandale 5, Wiota 4
HOLLANDALE - Pete Hefty laid down a suicide squeeze bunt in the 10th inning to drive in the game-winning run to give Hollandale a 5-4 win over Wiota.
Hollandale's Mike Schlimgen doubled off Wiota's Nick Flannery to lead off the 10th. Schlimgen stole third and Hefty came through with a squeeze bunt. Wiota gave up two unearned runs and committed three errors.
"It should not have come down to that in the 10th inning," Wiota manager Dick Schliem said. "Two of them (errors) were big because we gave up two unearned runs. That's baseball."
Wiota's Kyle Thompson pitched five no-hit shutout innings to get the and struck out four to get the win for the Rockies. Schlimgen started on the mound and pitched five innings. He gave up four runs on eight hits. He struck out one and walked two.
"The last five innings we never had a hit or a baserunner," Schliem said. "That was the story of the game."
Hollandale's Alex Schauff went 3-for-3 to lead the Rockies.
Wiota's Matt Keister went 2-for-4 and Merrill Brunson was 2-for-5.
Wiota's Jeff Solberg pitched 6 1/3 innings and gave up four runs on six hits. He struck out seven and walked four. Nick Flannery tossed three innings in relief and gave up one run on three hits. He struck out five and walked two.
