NEW GLARUS - Baseball players earn their keep hitting with runners in scoring position.
That practice eluded the New Glarus Tourists on Thursday, as they lost, 5-2, to Orfordville in a Home Talent League game.
Orfordville pitcher Zach Jones went the distance and gave up just one earned run. The Tourists' eight-hit attack was led by Drew Moen, who went 2-for-3 with one RBI, and Mike Rear, who was 2-for-3.
The Tourists left eight runners on base and had a couple of golden scoring opportunities.
"We had our opportunities to put more runs on the board," New Glarus player-manager Stein Rear said. "At least we hit the ball a little better. Now we just need to get the timely hits."
Orfordville (5-0 in the Thursday night league) struck right away in the first off New Glarus starting pitcher Brandon Bayrhoffer. He walked Orforville's Nate Tilley, then Nate Henke lined an RBI single to left. Henke later scored on a wild pitch to give the Orioles a 2-0 lead. Tilley was a thorn in the Tourists' side, batting 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored.
It was Bayrhoffer's first pitching outing in about three weeks. Bayrhoffer pitched four innings and gave up just two earned runs on eight hits. He struck out four and walked one. Lee Vlasak came in and pitched three shutout innings in relief and struck out five.
"I think he did a good job after a rough first inning," Rear said of Bayrhoffer. "It took him a little bit to get the rust off and get back in a groove. We really needed him to get out there and get some innings."
New Glarus (1-3) cut into the Orioles' 2-0 lead in the second.
New Glarus' Cody Austin was hit by a pitch. Moen and Ryan Brugger then each singled to load the bases. Bayrhoffer helped his own cause when it looked like he would bounce into a double play. He beat the throw to first and Austin scored. Moen then was thrown out at home as the Tourists tried to score a second run on the play.
Bayrhoffer pitched out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the third. He induced an infield fly and then struck out Tyler Martin to end the Orioles' threat.
But he couldn't wiggle off the hook in a three-run fourth by the Orioles. Bayrhoffer hit Orfordville's Jeff Adas leading off the inning. Brad Brey followed with a single to right. The big blow in the fourth came on Tilley's two-run double. Henke, who went 3-for-4 for the Orioles, delivered a two-out RBI single to give the Orioles a 5-1 lead.
The Tourists mounted a rally in the sixth as Stein Rear singled leading off the inning. Mike Rear lined a single to right, and Stein Rear was thrown out at second waiting to see if the ball would fall. Moen then lined an RBI single to left to score Mike Rear. Jones closed the door on the Tourists by getting Brugger to fly out to center and striking out Bayrhoffer.
"We are putting the ball in play," Stein Rear said. "We just need to find some holes and hope the bounces go a different direction. They (Orfordville) just made the plays. That's the way it will be some nights."
That practice eluded the New Glarus Tourists on Thursday, as they lost, 5-2, to Orfordville in a Home Talent League game.
Orfordville pitcher Zach Jones went the distance and gave up just one earned run. The Tourists' eight-hit attack was led by Drew Moen, who went 2-for-3 with one RBI, and Mike Rear, who was 2-for-3.
The Tourists left eight runners on base and had a couple of golden scoring opportunities.
"We had our opportunities to put more runs on the board," New Glarus player-manager Stein Rear said. "At least we hit the ball a little better. Now we just need to get the timely hits."
Orfordville (5-0 in the Thursday night league) struck right away in the first off New Glarus starting pitcher Brandon Bayrhoffer. He walked Orforville's Nate Tilley, then Nate Henke lined an RBI single to left. Henke later scored on a wild pitch to give the Orioles a 2-0 lead. Tilley was a thorn in the Tourists' side, batting 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored.
It was Bayrhoffer's first pitching outing in about three weeks. Bayrhoffer pitched four innings and gave up just two earned runs on eight hits. He struck out four and walked one. Lee Vlasak came in and pitched three shutout innings in relief and struck out five.
"I think he did a good job after a rough first inning," Rear said of Bayrhoffer. "It took him a little bit to get the rust off and get back in a groove. We really needed him to get out there and get some innings."
New Glarus (1-3) cut into the Orioles' 2-0 lead in the second.
New Glarus' Cody Austin was hit by a pitch. Moen and Ryan Brugger then each singled to load the bases. Bayrhoffer helped his own cause when it looked like he would bounce into a double play. He beat the throw to first and Austin scored. Moen then was thrown out at home as the Tourists tried to score a second run on the play.
Bayrhoffer pitched out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the third. He induced an infield fly and then struck out Tyler Martin to end the Orioles' threat.
But he couldn't wiggle off the hook in a three-run fourth by the Orioles. Bayrhoffer hit Orfordville's Jeff Adas leading off the inning. Brad Brey followed with a single to right. The big blow in the fourth came on Tilley's two-run double. Henke, who went 3-for-4 for the Orioles, delivered a two-out RBI single to give the Orioles a 5-1 lead.
The Tourists mounted a rally in the sixth as Stein Rear singled leading off the inning. Mike Rear lined a single to right, and Stein Rear was thrown out at second waiting to see if the ball would fall. Moen then lined an RBI single to left to score Mike Rear. Jones closed the door on the Tourists by getting Brugger to fly out to center and striking out Bayrhoffer.
"We are putting the ball in play," Stein Rear said. "We just need to find some holes and hope the bounces go a different direction. They (Orfordville) just made the plays. That's the way it will be some nights."
