SOUTH WHITLEY — Surrendering five first-inning runs isn’t what Whitko wanted to do against Northfield’s Division I pitcher Monday evening. In a pivotal Three Rivers Conference game in South Whitley, the Whitko Wildcats (15-6, 2-2 TRC) got two quick outs to begin the game, but the Class 2A No. 1 Northfield Norsemen (15-3, 3-1 TRC) rallied to score five runs on seven hits and a walk. That outburst resulted in a 9-0 loss for Whitko, as Northfield senior pitcher Ryan Keaffaber went the distance, striking out 16 and allowing three hits. “They just hit the ball and had a couple balls they put in play just get out of our reach,” Whitko coach Erik Hisner said about the two-out rally. “The next thing you know, they get some big hits and it’s 5-0. You get down 5-0 to Keaffaber, I don’t want to say the game is over, but it gets awfully tough to climb out of that hole.” Coming into the game, Keaffaber had only given up a total of five runs and 13 hits in 32-2/3 innings, while striking out 71. With those kind of stats, including a 0.81 ERA, the odds of coming back were slim. “I don’t know if he’s given up five runs in his career,” Northfield coach Tony Uggen said of Keaffaber, who will be pitching at Indiana State next year. “I know he gave up four to Wawasee when he was a freshman in his second outing. When you give Ryan a five-run lead, we’re in pretty good shape.” The only concern Uggen had was Keaffaber’s pitch count, as Whitko only reached second base once, that coming in the sixth inning. Despite that, the Norse skipper wasn’t boasting too much about his ace. “I didn’t think it was one of his better games,” Uggen said. “He was kind of all over early and he just didn’t seem to get into a groove until midway through the game.” His early-game struggles weren’t too obvious, as he struck out seven of the first eight batters he faced. “Our plan was to attack the fastball early in the count,” Hisner said. “Obviously, we didn’t do that. I don’t know why, but it didn’t happen – outside of a couple guys. “He’s very polished and he knows what he’s doing,” he added. “Tonight, I think we were going to have to win 1-0, 2-1 or 3-2.” Following the big first inning, none of Northfield’s next four runs were earned, as two were scored with two outs in the third inning when a routine fly ball was dropped in right field. “After the first inning, (senior pitcher) Alex (Stoddard) pitched well, we dropped the fly ball and committed the error in the infield (in the third inning),” Hisner said. “Freshman Tanner Gaff came in (the fourth) and pitched well. He gave us three good innings. Then (senior Ryan) Weigold came in and pitched a solid inning. Like I told the kids, the effort was good, the attitude was good. We could have executed better, but it just didn’t go our way today.” Whitko is right back in TRC play Wednesday at home against Wabash.
NORTHFIELD 9, WHITKO 0 N 503 001 0 – 9 14 0 W 000 000 0 – 0 3 3 Ryan Keaffaber (W, 5-1, 7IP, 0R, 3H, 16K, 2BB) and Andy Roser; Alex Stoddard (L, 3IP, 8R, 5ER, 11H, 1K, 1BB), Tanner Gaff (4, 3IP, 1R, 0ER, 2H, 3K, 0BB), Ryan Weigold (7, 1IP, 0R, 1H, 2K, 0BB, 1HB) and Seth Patrick 2B – Roser (N), Andy Maggart (N) Records: Northfield 15-3 (3-1 TRC), Whitko 15-6 (2-2 TRC)
