BLANCHARDVILLE - Typically when Six Rivers East rivals Pecatonica and Barneveld get together, those in attendance are treated to a clean game of baseball by two fundamentally-sound programs. That wasn't the case Monday, when the Vikings literally threw the game away, 11-0.
"It wasn't a clean baseball game on our part from the get-go," Pecatonica coach Jim Strommen said. "It started on the mound, we didn't start well there and we didn't play very good defense behind them. Then that was a mental carry-over to the plate when we batted."
The Vikings committed six errors on defense and were held to just one hit by Jeremy Kitelinger.
"All of us remember what happened in the regional semifinal game up there last year when we had a big lead and let it go," senior Tannar Johnson said. "I think a lot of us were fired up coming in and others were maybe a little hesitant."
Barneveld scored four runs in the second, three in the third and another four in the fourth. However, had it not been for errors, the contest would have been much tighter.
An error with one out and one on in the second allowed the first two runs of the game on the base paths. The should-have-been third out was on a pop-up to second, but then nine-hitter Devan Schult drilled a two-run double to left field.
"We gave them way too many unnecessary bases. And when we gave them second chances they hit the ball hard," Strommen said. "They are too good of a team to give up a lead like that. This is one of those we have to just forget and get ready for the double-header on Thursday against Black Hawk."
Pecatonica starting pitcher Tannar Johnson then walked back-to-back batters, and another run scored during a double-steal when catcher Tanner Kleppe threw wild to third.
Johnson was chased when Barneveld made it 4-0, and J.J. Hogan came in relief. Hogan got out of the second unscathed, but then the Eagles took advantage of more errors in the third. With one out, Kitelinger lined out to Johnson at first, but Johnson threw wildly to third trying for double play, allowing another run to score. Barneveld then had another runner reach when Pecatonica leftfielder Kevin Swenson dropped a fly ball that would have ended the inning. Back-to-back walks again loaded the bases and Cody Carmody brought in two runs on a double down the left field line.
Strommen then did something rarely seen in baseball - he brought his starting pitcher back to the mound in relief.
"I've done that sometimes in the past. It gives them (Barneveld) a different look and it let's (the first pitcher) relax and settle down a little bit," Strommen said. "We just didn't play good defense behind our pitchers."
Unfortunately for the Vikings, the hole was already to big, and Johnson & Co. had trouble in the fourth as well. The final blow came on a near-grand slam by Carmody, whose drive to left hit a foot from the top of the fence and cleared the bases.
"My sophomore year (Strommen) would do that (pitching change) when we had Lee (Vlasak), Milton (Kurschner) and Devin (Jeglum). But it's the first time it's ever happened to me. I was kind of wondering what was going on," Johnson said. "They were getting comfortable seeing what we were doing so we had to do something different. And it was an erratic strike zone, which made it tough to get into a rhythm."
Pecatonica's lone hit came from Hogan in the bottom of the fifth.
"We've been having a tough time finding that consistent line. We can't find a happy medium - it's all or nothing. I think once we find our midway point when we're consistent, we're going to be tough to battle with," Johnson said. "It's a learning point. We get two more cracks at these guys, maybe three, so we have to make those count."
"It wasn't a clean baseball game on our part from the get-go," Pecatonica coach Jim Strommen said. "It started on the mound, we didn't start well there and we didn't play very good defense behind them. Then that was a mental carry-over to the plate when we batted."
The Vikings committed six errors on defense and were held to just one hit by Jeremy Kitelinger.
"All of us remember what happened in the regional semifinal game up there last year when we had a big lead and let it go," senior Tannar Johnson said. "I think a lot of us were fired up coming in and others were maybe a little hesitant."
Barneveld scored four runs in the second, three in the third and another four in the fourth. However, had it not been for errors, the contest would have been much tighter.
An error with one out and one on in the second allowed the first two runs of the game on the base paths. The should-have-been third out was on a pop-up to second, but then nine-hitter Devan Schult drilled a two-run double to left field.
"We gave them way too many unnecessary bases. And when we gave them second chances they hit the ball hard," Strommen said. "They are too good of a team to give up a lead like that. This is one of those we have to just forget and get ready for the double-header on Thursday against Black Hawk."
Pecatonica starting pitcher Tannar Johnson then walked back-to-back batters, and another run scored during a double-steal when catcher Tanner Kleppe threw wild to third.
Johnson was chased when Barneveld made it 4-0, and J.J. Hogan came in relief. Hogan got out of the second unscathed, but then the Eagles took advantage of more errors in the third. With one out, Kitelinger lined out to Johnson at first, but Johnson threw wildly to third trying for double play, allowing another run to score. Barneveld then had another runner reach when Pecatonica leftfielder Kevin Swenson dropped a fly ball that would have ended the inning. Back-to-back walks again loaded the bases and Cody Carmody brought in two runs on a double down the left field line.
Strommen then did something rarely seen in baseball - he brought his starting pitcher back to the mound in relief.
"I've done that sometimes in the past. It gives them (Barneveld) a different look and it let's (the first pitcher) relax and settle down a little bit," Strommen said. "We just didn't play good defense behind our pitchers."
Unfortunately for the Vikings, the hole was already to big, and Johnson & Co. had trouble in the fourth as well. The final blow came on a near-grand slam by Carmody, whose drive to left hit a foot from the top of the fence and cleared the bases.
"My sophomore year (Strommen) would do that (pitching change) when we had Lee (Vlasak), Milton (Kurschner) and Devin (Jeglum). But it's the first time it's ever happened to me. I was kind of wondering what was going on," Johnson said. "They were getting comfortable seeing what we were doing so we had to do something different. And it was an erratic strike zone, which made it tough to get into a rhythm."
Pecatonica's lone hit came from Hogan in the bottom of the fifth.
"We've been having a tough time finding that consistent line. We can't find a happy medium - it's all or nothing. I think once we find our midway point when we're consistent, we're going to be tough to battle with," Johnson said. "It's a learning point. We get two more cracks at these guys, maybe three, so we have to make those count."
