BLANCHARDVILLE - By players and coaches' admission, Pecatonica's season-opening 13-4 win over Belleville Thursday at McKellar Park wasn't a clean game by any means.
Yet, for Pecatonica senior Drew Schliem, who went 2-for-3 with a triple, double and one RBI, it served as a starting point for a team expected to be in the hunt for a Six Rivers East Conference championship.
"It wasn't a clean game," Schliem said. "It was fun to come out in the first game and come out on top. Being able to get those four runs up on the board in the first inning gave us confidence and got the butterflies out."
Pecatonica committed four errors and three pitchers combined walked nine. Pecatonica sophomore A.J. Hendrickson started and pitched four innings to get the win. He gave up three runs on two hits. Hendrickson struck out six and walked six.
"It wasn't the cleanest game in the world," Pecatonica coach Jim Strommen said. "Our pitchers gave up too many free bases. These guys have played a lot of baseball. My expectation was for them to play a cleaner game."
The Vikings took advantage of some wildness by Belleville starting pitcher Scott Schwoegler in a four-run first inning. Schwoegler walked Pecatonica junior Brooks Chandler and hit Hendrickson. Chandler, who was on base three of the four times he batted with two walks, a hit by pitch and two stolen bases, scored three runs. Chandler put the Vikings on the board scoring on a wild pitch. Schwoegler then walked Schliem. Pecatonica junior Kyle Kleppe then lined a two-run double to right to give the Vikings a 3-0 lead. Kleppe, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI, later scored on a wild pitch to give the Vikings a 4-0 lead.
"I know we will always score runs," Kleppe said. "We put 13 runs up on the board, but there is always room for improvement on our hitting."
Chandler was hit by a pitch leading off the second and then stole second. Hendrickson reached on an error and Chandler scored to give the Vikings a 5-0 lead. Hendrickson also had two of the Vikings' six stolen bases.
"Brooks sets the table for us," Strommen said. "We have some guys who can run. We need to take advantage of that. Speed doesn't do you anything unless you get on base."
Pecatonica junior Riley Gould had a clutch two-run single to right in the third to give the Vikings a 7-1 lead.
The Wildcats battled back in the fourth. Belleville's Nick Richter, who went 2-for-4, roped a two-run single up the middle to cut the Vikings' lead to 7-3.
Kleppe tossed two innings in relief and gave up one run on one hit. He struck out three and walked one and Chandler pitched a shutout seventh inning.
In the bottom of the fourth, Hendrickson walked. Schliem then smoked an RBI triple to center. The Vikings tacked on an unearned run and sophomore Logan Green had an RBI groundout to extend the Vikings' lead to 10-3.
Hendrickson knocked in two runs on a squeeze bunt in the fifth to give the Vikings a 12-3 lead. Schliem just missed hitting a home run to right center in the fifth. He ended up with a double.
"I knew I hit it hard, but it was to the deepest part of the field," he said. "I was just running hard to get to second."
Strommen planned on using three pitchers against Belleville in the season opener. Schliem, the Vikings' ace pitcher didn't pitch, and Strommen said his arm is a little sore and he's battling a hamstring injury.
"We are being careful with him," Strommen said of Schliem. "It's a long season."
Strommen expects to use several pitchers in the two games next week.
"The arms are still not in pitching shape," he said.
Pecatonica will host New Glarus Monday and then open up the conference season Tuesday at Black Hawk.
"We just have to give up less free bases, get more consistent fielding, hit the ball the other way just look to make solid contact at the plate," Schliem said.
Yet, for Pecatonica senior Drew Schliem, who went 2-for-3 with a triple, double and one RBI, it served as a starting point for a team expected to be in the hunt for a Six Rivers East Conference championship.
"It wasn't a clean game," Schliem said. "It was fun to come out in the first game and come out on top. Being able to get those four runs up on the board in the first inning gave us confidence and got the butterflies out."
Pecatonica committed four errors and three pitchers combined walked nine. Pecatonica sophomore A.J. Hendrickson started and pitched four innings to get the win. He gave up three runs on two hits. Hendrickson struck out six and walked six.
"It wasn't the cleanest game in the world," Pecatonica coach Jim Strommen said. "Our pitchers gave up too many free bases. These guys have played a lot of baseball. My expectation was for them to play a cleaner game."
The Vikings took advantage of some wildness by Belleville starting pitcher Scott Schwoegler in a four-run first inning. Schwoegler walked Pecatonica junior Brooks Chandler and hit Hendrickson. Chandler, who was on base three of the four times he batted with two walks, a hit by pitch and two stolen bases, scored three runs. Chandler put the Vikings on the board scoring on a wild pitch. Schwoegler then walked Schliem. Pecatonica junior Kyle Kleppe then lined a two-run double to right to give the Vikings a 3-0 lead. Kleppe, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI, later scored on a wild pitch to give the Vikings a 4-0 lead.
"I know we will always score runs," Kleppe said. "We put 13 runs up on the board, but there is always room for improvement on our hitting."
Chandler was hit by a pitch leading off the second and then stole second. Hendrickson reached on an error and Chandler scored to give the Vikings a 5-0 lead. Hendrickson also had two of the Vikings' six stolen bases.
"Brooks sets the table for us," Strommen said. "We have some guys who can run. We need to take advantage of that. Speed doesn't do you anything unless you get on base."
Pecatonica junior Riley Gould had a clutch two-run single to right in the third to give the Vikings a 7-1 lead.
The Wildcats battled back in the fourth. Belleville's Nick Richter, who went 2-for-4, roped a two-run single up the middle to cut the Vikings' lead to 7-3.
Kleppe tossed two innings in relief and gave up one run on one hit. He struck out three and walked one and Chandler pitched a shutout seventh inning.
In the bottom of the fourth, Hendrickson walked. Schliem then smoked an RBI triple to center. The Vikings tacked on an unearned run and sophomore Logan Green had an RBI groundout to extend the Vikings' lead to 10-3.
Hendrickson knocked in two runs on a squeeze bunt in the fifth to give the Vikings a 12-3 lead. Schliem just missed hitting a home run to right center in the fifth. He ended up with a double.
"I knew I hit it hard, but it was to the deepest part of the field," he said. "I was just running hard to get to second."
Strommen planned on using three pitchers against Belleville in the season opener. Schliem, the Vikings' ace pitcher didn't pitch, and Strommen said his arm is a little sore and he's battling a hamstring injury.
"We are being careful with him," Strommen said of Schliem. "It's a long season."
Strommen expects to use several pitchers in the two games next week.
"The arms are still not in pitching shape," he said.
Pecatonica will host New Glarus Monday and then open up the conference season Tuesday at Black Hawk.
"We just have to give up less free bases, get more consistent fielding, hit the ball the other way just look to make solid contact at the plate," Schliem said.
