WIOTA - For six innings Argyle junior Nick Martin kept Barneveld at bay waiting for some run support.
The clutch two-out hit and the run support never came for Martin and the Orioles squandered a golden pitching performance and lost 4-0 to Barneveld on Thursday at Wiota Park. Argyle stranded nine runners on base in a game that was moved to Wiota after heavy rain left Argyle's field water logged.
"I think our players were worried about who we were playing more then they should," Argyle coach Travis Erickson said. "They see a team ranked No. 3 on paper and get a little scared. We have beaten every team as alumni. We don't worry about the name on the jersey."
Martin pitched a complete game and the Orioles trailed 1-0 going into the seventh inning. Martin gave up two earned runs on five hits. He pitched out of a bases loaded, one-out jam in the third. Martin got Josh Slaney out on an infield fly call and Weston Peterson flew out to center. After working out of a bases loaded jam, Martin retired 11 straight batters.
He ran into a jam in the seventh after giving up three straight singles.
Barneveld's Brad Zander came through with a sacrifice fly to knock in a run. Cody Carmody drove in a run with a groundout to give the Eagles a 3-0 lead.
"He threw all three pitches effectively," Erickson said. "He has been keeping us in the game. Hopefully, his arm doesn't go dead on us."
The Orioles are already short handed since senior pitcher Andy Bohlman had to be shut down due to a biceps tendon injury that will prevent him from pitching the rest of the regular season and may sideline him from pitching in the postseason tournament.
"If Martin keeps throwing like he has been, Andy won't even see the mound," Erickson said.
Despite just getting two hits from Cole Jordan and Martin, Argyle (4-12, 2-8 Six Rivers East) had some golden scoring opportunities, but couldn't push across a run.
With two-out in the third, Argyle senior Kevin Berg walked and Jordan reached on an error. The Orioles' threat ended when Berg was picked off third.
In the fourth with two on and one-out, Peterson struck out Nate Thomas and Bohlman hit a line drive to third for the final out.
Argyle freshman Jared Johnson reached on an error leading off the fifth. One batter later, Jordan followed with a single to right center. With two on and one-out, Barneveld went to its ace lefty - Patrick Clerkin. Clerkin struck out Matt Rosebrook and Kyle Geissbuhler to end the threat. Clerkin pitched 2 2/3 innings of shutout relief and struck out seven of the eight batters he faced. With the win, Barneveld improves to (13-2, 7-2).
"I told the guys for six innings, we were knocking on the door," Erickson said. "We just have to find a way to clutch up against the good teams. We beat ourselves with mental errors."
Erickson cited two missed squeeze bunts and throwing a fastball to a Barneveld hitter when ahead in the count in the Eagles' three-run seventh as mental mistakes.
The Orioles stole two bases without a steal sign from Erickson. He knows there will be emotional shifts with a young team.
"I would trade them (steals) any day for the runs," he said.
The clutch two-out hit and the run support never came for Martin and the Orioles squandered a golden pitching performance and lost 4-0 to Barneveld on Thursday at Wiota Park. Argyle stranded nine runners on base in a game that was moved to Wiota after heavy rain left Argyle's field water logged.
"I think our players were worried about who we were playing more then they should," Argyle coach Travis Erickson said. "They see a team ranked No. 3 on paper and get a little scared. We have beaten every team as alumni. We don't worry about the name on the jersey."
Martin pitched a complete game and the Orioles trailed 1-0 going into the seventh inning. Martin gave up two earned runs on five hits. He pitched out of a bases loaded, one-out jam in the third. Martin got Josh Slaney out on an infield fly call and Weston Peterson flew out to center. After working out of a bases loaded jam, Martin retired 11 straight batters.
He ran into a jam in the seventh after giving up three straight singles.
Barneveld's Brad Zander came through with a sacrifice fly to knock in a run. Cody Carmody drove in a run with a groundout to give the Eagles a 3-0 lead.
"He threw all three pitches effectively," Erickson said. "He has been keeping us in the game. Hopefully, his arm doesn't go dead on us."
The Orioles are already short handed since senior pitcher Andy Bohlman had to be shut down due to a biceps tendon injury that will prevent him from pitching the rest of the regular season and may sideline him from pitching in the postseason tournament.
"If Martin keeps throwing like he has been, Andy won't even see the mound," Erickson said.
Despite just getting two hits from Cole Jordan and Martin, Argyle (4-12, 2-8 Six Rivers East) had some golden scoring opportunities, but couldn't push across a run.
With two-out in the third, Argyle senior Kevin Berg walked and Jordan reached on an error. The Orioles' threat ended when Berg was picked off third.
In the fourth with two on and one-out, Peterson struck out Nate Thomas and Bohlman hit a line drive to third for the final out.
Argyle freshman Jared Johnson reached on an error leading off the fifth. One batter later, Jordan followed with a single to right center. With two on and one-out, Barneveld went to its ace lefty - Patrick Clerkin. Clerkin struck out Matt Rosebrook and Kyle Geissbuhler to end the threat. Clerkin pitched 2 2/3 innings of shutout relief and struck out seven of the eight batters he faced. With the win, Barneveld improves to (13-2, 7-2).
"I told the guys for six innings, we were knocking on the door," Erickson said. "We just have to find a way to clutch up against the good teams. We beat ourselves with mental errors."
Erickson cited two missed squeeze bunts and throwing a fastball to a Barneveld hitter when ahead in the count in the Eagles' three-run seventh as mental mistakes.
The Orioles stole two bases without a steal sign from Erickson. He knows there will be emotional shifts with a young team.
"I would trade them (steals) any day for the runs," he said.
