ALBANY - Monticello baseball coach Jason Pinnow couldn't breathe a sigh of relief until the final out in the Ponies' 12-6 nine-inning win over Albany Monday.
Comets' freshman Tyler Van Dusen belted a game-tying two-run homer down the left field line in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game at 6 and force extra innings. It was a wild game that featured three rallies by the Comets and two interference calls.
"Albany has done it to us before," Pinnow said. "It didn't surprise me. Give him (Van Dusen) credit, he poked it out there."
Monticello (3-4, 2-2 Six Rivers East) was 2-for-13 hitting with runners in scoring position and had stranded 12 runners through the first eight innings. That all changed in the ninth when the Ponies batted around the order in a six-run inning off Albany junior Boomer Detra who pitched two innings in relief. Monticello junior Chris Voegeli beat out an infield single. Then with one out, Detra hit junior Tyler Ritschard. Sophomore Lukas Kolasch hit a line drive that just skimmed out of Albany shortstop Ty Mauerman's glove that loaded the bases. That opened the door and set the table for Monticello junior Trae Seffrood, who was 3-for-5 with three RBIs. Seffrood crushed a three-run double to center to give the Ponies a 9-6 lead.
Seffrood knew that Detra would have to come at him and couldn't pitch around him with the bases loaded.
"It felt great," he said of hitting the double. "It gave me the opportunity to get one for the team. I have to give props for the guys for getting on. I just happened to hit a double."
The Ponies also received clutch hits from senior Michael Elzen who came through with an RBI single and senior Cole Henning who delivered a two-run double to left. With the loss, Albany drops to 1-6, 0-4.
"They hit a line drive off our shortstop's glove and that gave them another life," Albany coach Brian Dahl said of the ninth. "We could have had an inning ending double play. We can't give teams five and six outs. They (Monticello) came out smoking in the ninth and hit the heck out of the ball."
Pinnow was excited to see the Ponies go 4-for-7 with runners in scoring position in the ninth, he said.
Pinnow said the Ponies have struggled hitting with runners in scoring position this year.
"It was really good to see the guys loosen up and hit the ball," he said. "It was nice to see Seffrood come through. It took us nine innings to do it."
Albany senior Bryce Hulbert started for the Comets. Hulbert walked six in 2 1/3 innings. After Hulbert issued walks to Elzen and Tyler Meier in the third, Dahl went to the bullpen and brought in Cody Schultz. Schultz, who pitched 4 2/3 innings in relief and gave up five runs, worked out of a bases-loaded jam by striking out Henning and Voegeli.
The Comets took the lead in their half of the third. Mauerman singled and Detra walked. Albany junior Josh Peters, who was 2-for-3, delivered a two-run single to give the Comets a 2-1 lead. Peters reached base four of the five times he batted as he was intentionally walked twice.
The Ponies answered in the fourth. Kolasch singled to center and Seffrood singled off the end of the bat to right. Monticello junior Corey McGowan hit a bouncer down the third base line and beat out the throw to first for an infield single to load the bases. Meier, who was 2-for-4, then crushed a three-run double to give the Ponies a 5-2 lead.
The Comets rallied again in the fifth. Schultz singled and it appeared he was tagged out after a pickle on a grounder by Mauerman. However, the Ponies were called for interference and Schultz was awarded third base. Detra then ripped an RBI single, followed by another RBI single from Hulbert to cut the Ponies' lead to 5-4.
"Hitting wise, we are coming along," Dahl said. "We are still looking for someone to step up and take charge of this team. In order for us to win, 11 hits in nine innings is not going to do it. We just need to start hitting the ball."
McGowan pitched a complete game for the Ponies and gave up three earned runs. He struck out nine, walked four and hit two.
Schultz reached on an error leading off the eighth. Mauerman moved him to second on a sacrifice bunt, but the Comets' lineup couldn't knock him in.
"We made some mental base running mistakes and it cost us," Dahl said.
Henning, at first base for the Ponies, made a diving catch in foul territory in the eighth to preserve a tie game.
"I thought about going to Tyler (Ritschard) in the eighth," Pinnow said. "I asked Corey how he felt. He didn't waver and said he wanted to go back out there. I just had to go with him. He's been the most consistent. He won't be throwing today, that's for sure."
Comets' freshman Tyler Van Dusen belted a game-tying two-run homer down the left field line in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game at 6 and force extra innings. It was a wild game that featured three rallies by the Comets and two interference calls.
"Albany has done it to us before," Pinnow said. "It didn't surprise me. Give him (Van Dusen) credit, he poked it out there."
Monticello (3-4, 2-2 Six Rivers East) was 2-for-13 hitting with runners in scoring position and had stranded 12 runners through the first eight innings. That all changed in the ninth when the Ponies batted around the order in a six-run inning off Albany junior Boomer Detra who pitched two innings in relief. Monticello junior Chris Voegeli beat out an infield single. Then with one out, Detra hit junior Tyler Ritschard. Sophomore Lukas Kolasch hit a line drive that just skimmed out of Albany shortstop Ty Mauerman's glove that loaded the bases. That opened the door and set the table for Monticello junior Trae Seffrood, who was 3-for-5 with three RBIs. Seffrood crushed a three-run double to center to give the Ponies a 9-6 lead.
Seffrood knew that Detra would have to come at him and couldn't pitch around him with the bases loaded.
"It felt great," he said of hitting the double. "It gave me the opportunity to get one for the team. I have to give props for the guys for getting on. I just happened to hit a double."
The Ponies also received clutch hits from senior Michael Elzen who came through with an RBI single and senior Cole Henning who delivered a two-run double to left. With the loss, Albany drops to 1-6, 0-4.
"They hit a line drive off our shortstop's glove and that gave them another life," Albany coach Brian Dahl said of the ninth. "We could have had an inning ending double play. We can't give teams five and six outs. They (Monticello) came out smoking in the ninth and hit the heck out of the ball."
Pinnow was excited to see the Ponies go 4-for-7 with runners in scoring position in the ninth, he said.
Pinnow said the Ponies have struggled hitting with runners in scoring position this year.
"It was really good to see the guys loosen up and hit the ball," he said. "It was nice to see Seffrood come through. It took us nine innings to do it."
Albany senior Bryce Hulbert started for the Comets. Hulbert walked six in 2 1/3 innings. After Hulbert issued walks to Elzen and Tyler Meier in the third, Dahl went to the bullpen and brought in Cody Schultz. Schultz, who pitched 4 2/3 innings in relief and gave up five runs, worked out of a bases-loaded jam by striking out Henning and Voegeli.
The Comets took the lead in their half of the third. Mauerman singled and Detra walked. Albany junior Josh Peters, who was 2-for-3, delivered a two-run single to give the Comets a 2-1 lead. Peters reached base four of the five times he batted as he was intentionally walked twice.
The Ponies answered in the fourth. Kolasch singled to center and Seffrood singled off the end of the bat to right. Monticello junior Corey McGowan hit a bouncer down the third base line and beat out the throw to first for an infield single to load the bases. Meier, who was 2-for-4, then crushed a three-run double to give the Ponies a 5-2 lead.
The Comets rallied again in the fifth. Schultz singled and it appeared he was tagged out after a pickle on a grounder by Mauerman. However, the Ponies were called for interference and Schultz was awarded third base. Detra then ripped an RBI single, followed by another RBI single from Hulbert to cut the Ponies' lead to 5-4.
"Hitting wise, we are coming along," Dahl said. "We are still looking for someone to step up and take charge of this team. In order for us to win, 11 hits in nine innings is not going to do it. We just need to start hitting the ball."
McGowan pitched a complete game for the Ponies and gave up three earned runs. He struck out nine, walked four and hit two.
Schultz reached on an error leading off the eighth. Mauerman moved him to second on a sacrifice bunt, but the Comets' lineup couldn't knock him in.
"We made some mental base running mistakes and it cost us," Dahl said.
Henning, at first base for the Ponies, made a diving catch in foul territory in the eighth to preserve a tie game.
"I thought about going to Tyler (Ritschard) in the eighth," Pinnow said. "I asked Corey how he felt. He didn't waver and said he wanted to go back out there. I just had to go with him. He's been the most consistent. He won't be throwing today, that's for sure."
