MONTICELLO - It wasn't an April Fool's day joke when the hail came down in the bottom of the third inning of the Monticello baseball team's season opener against Belleville Friday.
But just as the hail stopped, Belleville senior Roy Hehn delivered a two-run single to center to give the Wildcats a 4-1 lead that jump-started the team and propelled them to an 11-4 win over the Ponies.
"I thought I was going to be the first player to get a hit in the hail storm," said Hehn, who was 1-for-3 with 3 RBIs. "It stopped right before I got that hit. It gave me a little more confidence on the mound. It's always neat when you have guys cheering you on."
Hehn was also efficient in his pitching. He pitched four innings and gave up just one run on three hits.
Monticello coach Jason Pinnow wasn't crushed by the result.
"It was a typical first game with a couple errors and pitchers trying to find their groove," Pinnow said.
Monticello junior starting pitcher Lukas Kolasch pitched three innings and gave up two earned runs. He walked six and struck out three. He was hit in the arm on Hehn's pickoff throw in the fourth, but stayed in the game and played first base.
"It boils down to the first game, getting on the mound and facing live batters and competition for the first time and there are some jitters," Pinnow said of Kolasch. "The defense didn't help him out."
Belleville coach Steve Vogler was excited about his team's 10-hit attack in the season opener.
"I'm very satisfied," Vogler said. "I thought we stayed focused. We did a pretty good job of hitting the ball where it was pitched."
Belleville sophomore Jacob Kowalski reached base all four times he batted, going 2-for-2 with two walks and two RBIs. He smoked a two-run double to right in the fourth to give the Wildcats a commanding 7-1 lead.
"He has been working hard," Vogler said. "He spent a lot of time hitting in the cage. It's paid off for him."
The Ponies answered with a three-run, two-out rally in the fifth off Belleville junior relief pitcher Jared Rear. Monticello senior Tyler Ritschard, who was 2-for-4, lined a double to left. Rear then hit Chris Voegeli. Monticello's Trae Seffrood came through with an RBI single and senior Corey McGowan bounced an RBI single to center to cut the Wildcats' lead to 7-3.
Monticello freshman Brent Klitzke scored the last run of the inning after taking third on a wild pitch. When the throw to third sailed into left, he raced in to score to cut the Wildcats' lead to 7-4.
However, that is as close as they would get. Rear struck out eight in three innings of relief and the Wildcat's offense didn't let up. Rear delivered a two-run single in the bottom of the fifth to give the Wildcats an insurmountable, 9-4 lead.
Hehn said that after losing some close games last year, the game was a great way to start the season. The Wildcats lost four, one-run games last year. Belleville's Alex Schauff was 2-for-4 for the Wildcats.
Pinnow was proud of the way his younger hitters in the lineup made contact. He's hoping to use the season opener as a springboard.
"I thought we hit the ball hard," Pinnow said. "I was impressed with the contact the younger guys were making. For this early in the season, I think we hit the ball pretty well."
But just as the hail stopped, Belleville senior Roy Hehn delivered a two-run single to center to give the Wildcats a 4-1 lead that jump-started the team and propelled them to an 11-4 win over the Ponies.
"I thought I was going to be the first player to get a hit in the hail storm," said Hehn, who was 1-for-3 with 3 RBIs. "It stopped right before I got that hit. It gave me a little more confidence on the mound. It's always neat when you have guys cheering you on."
Hehn was also efficient in his pitching. He pitched four innings and gave up just one run on three hits.
Monticello coach Jason Pinnow wasn't crushed by the result.
"It was a typical first game with a couple errors and pitchers trying to find their groove," Pinnow said.
Monticello junior starting pitcher Lukas Kolasch pitched three innings and gave up two earned runs. He walked six and struck out three. He was hit in the arm on Hehn's pickoff throw in the fourth, but stayed in the game and played first base.
"It boils down to the first game, getting on the mound and facing live batters and competition for the first time and there are some jitters," Pinnow said of Kolasch. "The defense didn't help him out."
Belleville coach Steve Vogler was excited about his team's 10-hit attack in the season opener.
"I'm very satisfied," Vogler said. "I thought we stayed focused. We did a pretty good job of hitting the ball where it was pitched."
Belleville sophomore Jacob Kowalski reached base all four times he batted, going 2-for-2 with two walks and two RBIs. He smoked a two-run double to right in the fourth to give the Wildcats a commanding 7-1 lead.
"He has been working hard," Vogler said. "He spent a lot of time hitting in the cage. It's paid off for him."
The Ponies answered with a three-run, two-out rally in the fifth off Belleville junior relief pitcher Jared Rear. Monticello senior Tyler Ritschard, who was 2-for-4, lined a double to left. Rear then hit Chris Voegeli. Monticello's Trae Seffrood came through with an RBI single and senior Corey McGowan bounced an RBI single to center to cut the Wildcats' lead to 7-3.
Monticello freshman Brent Klitzke scored the last run of the inning after taking third on a wild pitch. When the throw to third sailed into left, he raced in to score to cut the Wildcats' lead to 7-4.
However, that is as close as they would get. Rear struck out eight in three innings of relief and the Wildcat's offense didn't let up. Rear delivered a two-run single in the bottom of the fifth to give the Wildcats an insurmountable, 9-4 lead.
Hehn said that after losing some close games last year, the game was a great way to start the season. The Wildcats lost four, one-run games last year. Belleville's Alex Schauff was 2-for-4 for the Wildcats.
Pinnow was proud of the way his younger hitters in the lineup made contact. He's hoping to use the season opener as a springboard.
"I thought we hit the ball hard," Pinnow said. "I was impressed with the contact the younger guys were making. For this early in the season, I think we hit the ball pretty well."
