SOUTH WAYNE - Walks have been a problematic area for the Black Hawk baseball team early in the season.
It was the same story for the Warriors in a 16-1 loss to Highland in five innings Friday, April 26. Two Black Hawk pitchers combined to walk six. Five of the batters the Warriors walked came around to score. Black Hawk pitchers have walked 21 in the last two games.
"Once again, it was a lot of walks," Black Hawk coach Jeff Solberg said. "Our pitching has been walking a lot of guys. Hopefully, as the season goes on we can get better."
Black Hawk senior Merik Meythaler walked three in a five-run first inning for the Cardinals. The Cardinals pounded out 15 hits and had the lead off batter on in four of the five innings.
Highland's Sam Pierick had an RBI single in the first and the big blow came on Robert McGuire's two-run double that gave the Cardinals a 3-0 lead. Meythaler walked in a run and Nate Michek had an RBI single to give the Cardinals a 5-0 lead.
Highland's Andrew Wolfe went 4-for-4 with three RBI and Pierick was 2-for-4 with two stolen bases. The Cardinals had a four-run third, with Wolfe delivering a two-run single up the middle to extend the Cardinals' lead to 10-0.
Pierick pitched five innings and gave up just one run on four hits. He struck out nine and walked one.
"(Pierick) had a good curveball," Solberg said. "He kept hitters off balance. I thought offensive-wise we did OK the second time through. We made a lot better contact."
The Warriors (1-6, 1-3 Six Rivers East) scored their lone run in the bottom of the third. With two outs, Tayler Rupnow walked. Black Hawk senior Cory Rupnow then lined a single to right to cut the Cardinals' lead to 10-1. The Warriors committed two of their three errors in the fifth and it opened the door to a six-run inning for the Cardinals.
Meythaler pitched four innings and gave up 12 runs on 11 hits. He struck out four and walked four.
"Merik didn't have his good stuff tonight," Solberg said.
Cory Rupnow pitched one inning in relief and gave up three runs on four hits.
"Cory will get some innings the rest of the year," Solberg said. "We used four pitchers last night so we were kind of limited."
Black Hawk enters a key stretch with five games next week starting with a doubleheader against Monticello in South Wayne Monday, April 29 and at Argyle Tuesday, April 30.
"Next week we have to turn our season around," Solberg said. "We have a good chance of winning against Monticello and Argyle if we compete."
It was the same story for the Warriors in a 16-1 loss to Highland in five innings Friday, April 26. Two Black Hawk pitchers combined to walk six. Five of the batters the Warriors walked came around to score. Black Hawk pitchers have walked 21 in the last two games.
"Once again, it was a lot of walks," Black Hawk coach Jeff Solberg said. "Our pitching has been walking a lot of guys. Hopefully, as the season goes on we can get better."
Black Hawk senior Merik Meythaler walked three in a five-run first inning for the Cardinals. The Cardinals pounded out 15 hits and had the lead off batter on in four of the five innings.
Highland's Sam Pierick had an RBI single in the first and the big blow came on Robert McGuire's two-run double that gave the Cardinals a 3-0 lead. Meythaler walked in a run and Nate Michek had an RBI single to give the Cardinals a 5-0 lead.
Highland's Andrew Wolfe went 4-for-4 with three RBI and Pierick was 2-for-4 with two stolen bases. The Cardinals had a four-run third, with Wolfe delivering a two-run single up the middle to extend the Cardinals' lead to 10-0.
Pierick pitched five innings and gave up just one run on four hits. He struck out nine and walked one.
"(Pierick) had a good curveball," Solberg said. "He kept hitters off balance. I thought offensive-wise we did OK the second time through. We made a lot better contact."
The Warriors (1-6, 1-3 Six Rivers East) scored their lone run in the bottom of the third. With two outs, Tayler Rupnow walked. Black Hawk senior Cory Rupnow then lined a single to right to cut the Cardinals' lead to 10-1. The Warriors committed two of their three errors in the fifth and it opened the door to a six-run inning for the Cardinals.
Meythaler pitched four innings and gave up 12 runs on 11 hits. He struck out four and walked four.
"Merik didn't have his good stuff tonight," Solberg said.
Cory Rupnow pitched one inning in relief and gave up three runs on four hits.
"Cory will get some innings the rest of the year," Solberg said. "We used four pitchers last night so we were kind of limited."
Black Hawk enters a key stretch with five games next week starting with a doubleheader against Monticello in South Wayne Monday, April 29 and at Argyle Tuesday, April 30.
"Next week we have to turn our season around," Solberg said. "We have a good chance of winning against Monticello and Argyle if we compete."
