ALBANY - Senior pitcher Boomer Detra, with the bases loaded in the fourth inning of the second game of a doubleheader against Pecatonica, had his back against the wall Friday.
Detra pitched out of a bases loaded, one-out jam by striking out Pecatonica's Kevin Swenson and J.J. Hogan. Detra also pitched out of a jam in the seventh after Pecatonica junior Tanner Kleppe's two-run single cut Albany's lead to 5-4.
Detra put the finishing touches on the Comets' first Six Rivers East Conference win by inducing junior Karson Feller to pop out, preserving a doubleheader split against the Vikings with a 5-4 win in the nightcap. Pecatonica (10-7, 6-3 Six Rivers East) beat Albany (2-9, 1-7) 13-2 in six innings in the first game of the twin bill.
"He (Detra) was very focused," Albany coach Brian Dahl said. "He stayed under control and got the outs when he needed to. You can't ask for anything more from your senior pitcher."
Detra pitched a complete game and gave up four runs on four hits. He struck out 13 and walked four.
Albany's Cody Schulz gave Detra the run support he needed early on. Schulz crushed a three-run homer to right off Pecatonica starting pitcher Lucas McKeon in the third to give the Comets a 3-0 lead. Schulz was 3 for 5 with a home run and three RBIs in the second game of the twin bill.
Detra went a combined 4 for 6 with two RBIs in the doubleheader. He hit an RBI double in the sixth that gave the Comets a 5-1 lead.
The Vikings pounded out 13 hits in the first game and scored their first seven runs after there were two outs. Kleppe went 2 for 4 with three RBIs in the second game of the doubleheader to lead the Vikings.
"We had some big two out hits," Pecatonica coach Jim Strommen said. "The hits were timely. You need that."
It started right away in the first inning when Pecatonica junior Karson Feller delivered a two-run single to center off Schulz. The Vikings broke the game open with a four-run second. Pecatonica senior Taylor Berg, who went 2 for 5, smoked an RBI double and the big blow came on Tannar Johnson's two-run homer to left that gave the Vikings a 6-0 lead. Johnson went 3 for 5 with a home run, four RBIs and two runs scored in the first game.
"It felt good off the bat," Johnson said of his home run. "I wasn't the only one hitting. We had a lot of people hitting. We had a lot of guys step up who normally don't step up."
Berg ripped an RBI single to left in the third to give the Vikings a 7-0 lead. The Vikings scored two unearned runs in the fourth on a throwing error by the Comets. Hogan had an RBI single and Johnson lined a two-run single to left to give the Vikings a 12-2 lead in the sixth. Senior Ross Gilbertson added an RBI single and finished the first game 2 for 4. Tyler Francois was 2 for 3 with two runs scored.
"We left too many balls up in the air," Dahl said. "You can't hang the ball up and let them hit it. With our defense, we are struggling right now."
Hogan pitched a six-inning complete game in the opener. He gave up two runs on six hits, three walks while striking out six.
"It always starts on the mound," Strommen said. "He (Hogan) did a good job of throwing strikes. Our defense played well behind him."
Johnson also pitched 3 2/3 innings in relief in the second game of the doubleheader, but the Vikings couldn't get the sweep they wanted. After winning the first game, Johnson expected the Comets' best game.
"You want to come ready to play in the second game," Johnson said.
Barneveld (11-0, 8-0) remains the top team in the conference and since the Vikings are three games back they will have to beat the Eagles and will need a lot of help if they want to get back into the conference title hunt.
Albany is looking forward to the second time through the conference after snapping a seven-game conference losing streak.
Dahl said he thinks the win will give the Comets the momentum they need.
"Hopefully, this is a sign that the kids know how to play and know what it takes to win," Dahl said.
Detra pitched out of a bases loaded, one-out jam by striking out Pecatonica's Kevin Swenson and J.J. Hogan. Detra also pitched out of a jam in the seventh after Pecatonica junior Tanner Kleppe's two-run single cut Albany's lead to 5-4.
Detra put the finishing touches on the Comets' first Six Rivers East Conference win by inducing junior Karson Feller to pop out, preserving a doubleheader split against the Vikings with a 5-4 win in the nightcap. Pecatonica (10-7, 6-3 Six Rivers East) beat Albany (2-9, 1-7) 13-2 in six innings in the first game of the twin bill.
"He (Detra) was very focused," Albany coach Brian Dahl said. "He stayed under control and got the outs when he needed to. You can't ask for anything more from your senior pitcher."
Detra pitched a complete game and gave up four runs on four hits. He struck out 13 and walked four.
Albany's Cody Schulz gave Detra the run support he needed early on. Schulz crushed a three-run homer to right off Pecatonica starting pitcher Lucas McKeon in the third to give the Comets a 3-0 lead. Schulz was 3 for 5 with a home run and three RBIs in the second game of the twin bill.
Detra went a combined 4 for 6 with two RBIs in the doubleheader. He hit an RBI double in the sixth that gave the Comets a 5-1 lead.
The Vikings pounded out 13 hits in the first game and scored their first seven runs after there were two outs. Kleppe went 2 for 4 with three RBIs in the second game of the doubleheader to lead the Vikings.
"We had some big two out hits," Pecatonica coach Jim Strommen said. "The hits were timely. You need that."
It started right away in the first inning when Pecatonica junior Karson Feller delivered a two-run single to center off Schulz. The Vikings broke the game open with a four-run second. Pecatonica senior Taylor Berg, who went 2 for 5, smoked an RBI double and the big blow came on Tannar Johnson's two-run homer to left that gave the Vikings a 6-0 lead. Johnson went 3 for 5 with a home run, four RBIs and two runs scored in the first game.
"It felt good off the bat," Johnson said of his home run. "I wasn't the only one hitting. We had a lot of people hitting. We had a lot of guys step up who normally don't step up."
Berg ripped an RBI single to left in the third to give the Vikings a 7-0 lead. The Vikings scored two unearned runs in the fourth on a throwing error by the Comets. Hogan had an RBI single and Johnson lined a two-run single to left to give the Vikings a 12-2 lead in the sixth. Senior Ross Gilbertson added an RBI single and finished the first game 2 for 4. Tyler Francois was 2 for 3 with two runs scored.
"We left too many balls up in the air," Dahl said. "You can't hang the ball up and let them hit it. With our defense, we are struggling right now."
Hogan pitched a six-inning complete game in the opener. He gave up two runs on six hits, three walks while striking out six.
"It always starts on the mound," Strommen said. "He (Hogan) did a good job of throwing strikes. Our defense played well behind him."
Johnson also pitched 3 2/3 innings in relief in the second game of the doubleheader, but the Vikings couldn't get the sweep they wanted. After winning the first game, Johnson expected the Comets' best game.
"You want to come ready to play in the second game," Johnson said.
Barneveld (11-0, 8-0) remains the top team in the conference and since the Vikings are three games back they will have to beat the Eagles and will need a lot of help if they want to get back into the conference title hunt.
Albany is looking forward to the second time through the conference after snapping a seven-game conference losing streak.
Dahl said he thinks the win will give the Comets the momentum they need.
"Hopefully, this is a sign that the kids know how to play and know what it takes to win," Dahl said.
