Whitko Splits Twinbill With Marion To Open Season
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Staff Report-
In the first game the Giants got a two-run homer from Javon Yeakle in the first, then picked up an unearned run in the second to take a 3-0 lead.
Whitko countered with single tallies in the third and fifth innings, with both runs scored by Hunter Sroufe.
Marion added an insurance run in the sixth, but the policy lapsed when Tanner Gaff hit a three-run homer in the seventh to give the Wildcats its first lead.
The Giants’ Yeakle won the game in the bottom of the inning with a two-run single off of Gaff, who took the loss.
"In game one, we struggled at the plate,” said Wildcat head coach Erik Hisner via e-mail. “I'm not sure if it was first games nerves, or just rust from not being able to get outside much, but our kids battled and we had a chance to win the game in the bottom of the last inning after Tanner's huge home run in the top half of the inning.
"I thought Garrett Cokl and Hunter Sroufe gave us great at-bats, but unfortunately we couldn't string enough of them together early in the game when we had some scoring chances."
Whitko never trailed in the second game after they scored four times in the second inning. Garrett Smiley scored on Riley Anderson’s double, then Anderson scored on a throwing error. Landen Goff scored on a double steal, and Reed Brace came home on a second throwing error in the inning.
The Wildcats secured the win with three more runs in the fifth. Alex Robbins scored on Gaff’s sacrifice fly, then Goff scored on Zach Snep’s single. Bechtold scored the third run on a groundout by Garrett Smiley.
Snep was the winning pitcher, allowing one earned run and six hits in seven innings.
"In game two, Zach Snep threw the ball very well. He improved a lot this winter and I'm glad his hard work is already paying off," Hisner said.
"We swung the bats much better in the second game. Riley Anderson hit the ball hard every time up, and I thought we did a much better job on the bases of forcing the issue which allowed us to take advantage of some mistakes in that big second inning."
Whitko opens the home portion of its schedule at 5 p.m. today when they host New Haven.
Game 1
MARION 6, WHITKO 5
W 001 010 3 – 5 6 2
M 210 001 2 – 6 10 1
Whitko – Gaff (L, 6IP, 6R, 4ER, 10H, 1BB, 9K)
Marion – Kraemer (W, 7IP, 5R, 4ER, 6H, 1BB, 3K)
HR – Whitko: Gaff; Marion: Yeakle
Game 2
WHITKO 8, MARION 3
W 040 030 1 – 8 10 3
M 020 010 0 – 3 6 3
Whitko – Snep (W, 7IP, 3R, 1ER, 6H, 4BB, 2K)
Marion – Reed (L, 2-2/3IP, 4R, 1ER, 2H, 5BB, 2K); Cox (4-1/3IP, 4R, 4ER, 8H, 2BB, 0K)
2B – Whitko: Bechtold, Gaff, Anderson; Marion: Smith, Reynolds
Whitko record: 1-1[[In-content Ad]]
In the first game the Giants got a two-run homer from Javon Yeakle in the first, then picked up an unearned run in the second to take a 3-0 lead.
Whitko countered with single tallies in the third and fifth innings, with both runs scored by Hunter Sroufe.
Marion added an insurance run in the sixth, but the policy lapsed when Tanner Gaff hit a three-run homer in the seventh to give the Wildcats its first lead.
The Giants’ Yeakle won the game in the bottom of the inning with a two-run single off of Gaff, who took the loss.
"In game one, we struggled at the plate,” said Wildcat head coach Erik Hisner via e-mail. “I'm not sure if it was first games nerves, or just rust from not being able to get outside much, but our kids battled and we had a chance to win the game in the bottom of the last inning after Tanner's huge home run in the top half of the inning.
"I thought Garrett Cokl and Hunter Sroufe gave us great at-bats, but unfortunately we couldn't string enough of them together early in the game when we had some scoring chances."
Whitko never trailed in the second game after they scored four times in the second inning. Garrett Smiley scored on Riley Anderson’s double, then Anderson scored on a throwing error. Landen Goff scored on a double steal, and Reed Brace came home on a second throwing error in the inning.
The Wildcats secured the win with three more runs in the fifth. Alex Robbins scored on Gaff’s sacrifice fly, then Goff scored on Zach Snep’s single. Bechtold scored the third run on a groundout by Garrett Smiley.
Snep was the winning pitcher, allowing one earned run and six hits in seven innings.
"In game two, Zach Snep threw the ball very well. He improved a lot this winter and I'm glad his hard work is already paying off," Hisner said.
"We swung the bats much better in the second game. Riley Anderson hit the ball hard every time up, and I thought we did a much better job on the bases of forcing the issue which allowed us to take advantage of some mistakes in that big second inning."
Whitko opens the home portion of its schedule at 5 p.m. today when they host New Haven.
Game 1
MARION 6, WHITKO 5
W 001 010 3 – 5 6 2
M 210 001 2 – 6 10 1
Whitko – Gaff (L, 6IP, 6R, 4ER, 10H, 1BB, 9K)
Marion – Kraemer (W, 7IP, 5R, 4ER, 6H, 1BB, 3K)
HR – Whitko: Gaff; Marion: Yeakle
Game 2
WHITKO 8, MARION 3
W 040 030 1 – 8 10 3
M 020 010 0 – 3 6 3
Whitko – Snep (W, 7IP, 3R, 1ER, 6H, 4BB, 2K)
Marion – Reed (L, 2-2/3IP, 4R, 1ER, 2H, 5BB, 2K); Cox (4-1/3IP, 4R, 4ER, 8H, 2BB, 0K)
2B – Whitko: Bechtold, Gaff, Anderson; Marion: Smith, Reynolds
Whitko record: 1-1[[In-content Ad]]
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092