BRODHEAD - Brodhead-Juda baseball coach Brian Dahl is well aware that just a few at-bats with runners in scoring position can be game-changing.
Brodhead-Juda was 0-for-11 hitting with runners in scoring position and left 10 runners on base in a 6-4 loss to Evansville on a gusty Thursday.
Dahl said there were three at-bats in which the Cardinals were called out on strikes with runners in scoring position that were pivotal.
"We are here to hit the ball and make things happen," Dahl said. "With two strikes, we watched the third strike go by. That kills innings. That was the ballgame right there."
Evansville pushed across two runs in the eighth. Cody Carpenter reached on an error and Cody Pinnow singled. Evansville's Sawyer Johnson then went to lay down a sacrifice bunt.
Brodhead-Juda pitcher Tyler Davis fielded the bunt and threw to third to try to cut down the lead runner, but Carpenter beat the throw and that opened the door for the Blue Devils. Braden Harper came through with a go-ahead RBI single to give the Blue Devils a 5-4 lead.
"That was a miscommunication problem with our infielders," Dahl said of the bunt that led to a bases-loaded, no-out jam. "We had no chance to throw him out at third, in my opinion. If we throw to first, I think we get out of the inning with no runs or one run at the most."
Brodhead-Juda senior Tyler Malcook, who was 3-for-4 with three runs scored, crushed a two-out game-tying home run to left in the sixth inning off Evansville relief pitcher Ryan Weaver to tie the game at 4 and send it to extra innings.
Malcook, who will play baseball at Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa, next season, was just trying to make contact.
"I was just trying to put the ball in play and get things going," Malcook said. "I wasn't trying to hit a home run. I was just trying to get on base."
The Cardinals had golden scoring opportunities in the second and third. With two on and no outs in the second, Brodhead-Juda's David Hatter hit a line drive that was turned into a 4-6 double play. With the bases loaded in the third, Johnson struck out Hatter to end the threat.
"We have to execute with runners in scoring position," Malcook said. "That is something we have struggled with. We got to the fourth or fifth inning and our intensity level went down. From there, it was all downhill."
The Cardinals committed five errors, and one helped the Blue Devils take a short-lived 4-3 lead. That all changed on Malcook's solo homer.
"That was a big run," Dahl said. "It got us back in the game. He's a good kid to have on your side. You have to have your leaders step up and perform."
Brodhead-Juda catcher Matt Trotter threw out two runners trying to steal and the Cardinals threw another runner out at the plate in the third to preserve a 2-1 lead. Brodhead-Juda senior Tate Harnack stole three bases.
Brodhead-Juda junior Trent Gerlach started and pitched four innings, allowing two runs on five hits. He struck out three and walked four. Davis pitched four innings and gave up three earned runs on five hits. Davis also went 2-for-3.
"There were some bright spots," Dahl said. "I know that Tyler doesn't have a boat load of experience. It was nice to get him some innings in a close game. Tyler showed some bright spots. We will continue to work with him on his mechanics. All of the mistakes we made are curable. This is just our second game and it's their fifth. That's not an excuse."
Brodhead-Juda was 0-for-11 hitting with runners in scoring position and left 10 runners on base in a 6-4 loss to Evansville on a gusty Thursday.
Dahl said there were three at-bats in which the Cardinals were called out on strikes with runners in scoring position that were pivotal.
"We are here to hit the ball and make things happen," Dahl said. "With two strikes, we watched the third strike go by. That kills innings. That was the ballgame right there."
Evansville pushed across two runs in the eighth. Cody Carpenter reached on an error and Cody Pinnow singled. Evansville's Sawyer Johnson then went to lay down a sacrifice bunt.
Brodhead-Juda pitcher Tyler Davis fielded the bunt and threw to third to try to cut down the lead runner, but Carpenter beat the throw and that opened the door for the Blue Devils. Braden Harper came through with a go-ahead RBI single to give the Blue Devils a 5-4 lead.
"That was a miscommunication problem with our infielders," Dahl said of the bunt that led to a bases-loaded, no-out jam. "We had no chance to throw him out at third, in my opinion. If we throw to first, I think we get out of the inning with no runs or one run at the most."
Brodhead-Juda senior Tyler Malcook, who was 3-for-4 with three runs scored, crushed a two-out game-tying home run to left in the sixth inning off Evansville relief pitcher Ryan Weaver to tie the game at 4 and send it to extra innings.
Malcook, who will play baseball at Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa, next season, was just trying to make contact.
"I was just trying to put the ball in play and get things going," Malcook said. "I wasn't trying to hit a home run. I was just trying to get on base."
The Cardinals had golden scoring opportunities in the second and third. With two on and no outs in the second, Brodhead-Juda's David Hatter hit a line drive that was turned into a 4-6 double play. With the bases loaded in the third, Johnson struck out Hatter to end the threat.
"We have to execute with runners in scoring position," Malcook said. "That is something we have struggled with. We got to the fourth or fifth inning and our intensity level went down. From there, it was all downhill."
The Cardinals committed five errors, and one helped the Blue Devils take a short-lived 4-3 lead. That all changed on Malcook's solo homer.
"That was a big run," Dahl said. "It got us back in the game. He's a good kid to have on your side. You have to have your leaders step up and perform."
Brodhead-Juda catcher Matt Trotter threw out two runners trying to steal and the Cardinals threw another runner out at the plate in the third to preserve a 2-1 lead. Brodhead-Juda senior Tate Harnack stole three bases.
Brodhead-Juda junior Trent Gerlach started and pitched four innings, allowing two runs on five hits. He struck out three and walked four. Davis pitched four innings and gave up three earned runs on five hits. Davis also went 2-for-3.
"There were some bright spots," Dahl said. "I know that Tyler doesn't have a boat load of experience. It was nice to get him some innings in a close game. Tyler showed some bright spots. We will continue to work with him on his mechanics. All of the mistakes we made are curable. This is just our second game and it's their fifth. That's not an excuse."
