July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Indians start strong (03/27/07)
FRHS baseball
Indians start strong (03/27/07)
By By RAY COONEY-
CELINA, Ohio - The first inning is always important. But it takes on an even greater meaning in the first game of the year.
The Fort Recovery baseball team took that to heart Monday, jumping out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning against the Celina Bulldogs and never looking back on the way to an 11-2 win.
"We always talk about if you win the first inning you can roll from there," said FRHS coach Aaron Vaughn, whose scheduled home opener was moved to Jim Hoess Field in Celina. "Those firsts are what you've got to do. When you get up, you can be more aggressive on the base paths, you can be more aggressive at the plate, and that just makes the game easier for everybody.
"For the first time out it was nice to see."
Indian ace Kevin Schoenherr gave up a two-out single in the top of the first inning, but got Celina clean-up hitter Jimmy Fishpaw to ground out to shortstop Clint Tobe to complete a scoreless opening frame. Then the Tribe offense gave him everything he would need.
Junior Bobby Rammel kicked off the season with a single to left field, and Clint Tobe walked two batters later. With runners on second and third thanks to a wild pitch and stolen base, Schoenherr helped his own cause with a two-run single to left.
Troy Metzger followed with a double over the head of Matt Paulus in left field to put runners on second and third again.
This time designated hitter Curt Heitkamp delivered, slapping a two-run single to right field.
"I don't know what we could have done different," said Celina coach Drew Braun. "They came out hitting the ball. It wasn't like we gave them those first four runs. They earned (them). There's nothing you can do about it I guess."
Fort Recovery piled on more runs - one in the second, one in the fourth, three in the fifth and two in the sixth - but the early four-run lead was enough.
Schoenherr kept the Bulldogs off the scoreboard for the first three innings - he struck out the side in the third - before getting into trouble in the fourth. He gave up two hits and two runs in the frame, but escaped without further damage and then turned the ball over to sophomore Toby Metzger.
"We were just happy that he placed the ball where he needed to, in-and-out, up-and-down, off speed," said Vaughn. "He was hitting his spots pretty well. We were glad to get him in there for a few innings and get him a lead."
Metzger finished off the victory for his senior teammate with three scoreless and hitless innings. He allowed a base runner in each frame thanks to three hit batsmen and a walk, but never let a runner advance past second base.
After a freshman season in which he hit under .200, Metzger also served notice Monday that his bat will be a bit more scary this year. He singled and scored a run in the second inning, then smashed doubles - they likely would have been home runs on most fields - to the base of the center field fence in the fourth and fifth.
The second of those doubles came with the bases loaded as Metzger finished a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBIs in his 2007 debut.
"He ripped the ball today," said Vaughn of his No. 9 hitter. "We're looking for big things from him and everybody this year. Hopefully one through nine we can be pretty solid. That's what we want to have. (Toby) did a good job for us today."
Heitkamp, the team's top returning hitter, picked up right where he left off last season, fouling off pitch after pitch on the way to a 2-for-3 effort with a walk, two RBIs and a run.
Tony Diller also had two hits - a bunt single in the fifth which set up Metzger's three-run double, and an RBI single in the sixth. Schoenherr reached base twice on errors and finished with three runs and two RBIs, and Tobe had a pair of stolen bases.
Celina's John Bonvillion took the loss, giving up nine runs - five earned - on 10 hits in five innings. Each of the final six Tribe runs was unearned thanks to Bulldog errors in the fourth, fifth and six.
Junior varsity
Fort Recovery gave up 10 runs in the first two innings of a 13-2, five-inning loss to the Bulldogs.
More than half of Celina's runs in the first two innings were unearned as the Indians committed four errors in the game. Travis Hart took the loss, allowing 10 runs - four earned - on eight hits and a walk in 11/3 innings.
Hart was one of seven Indians with a hit, and also scored a run. Tom Staugler also singled and scored a run.[[In-content Ad]]
The Fort Recovery baseball team took that to heart Monday, jumping out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning against the Celina Bulldogs and never looking back on the way to an 11-2 win.
"We always talk about if you win the first inning you can roll from there," said FRHS coach Aaron Vaughn, whose scheduled home opener was moved to Jim Hoess Field in Celina. "Those firsts are what you've got to do. When you get up, you can be more aggressive on the base paths, you can be more aggressive at the plate, and that just makes the game easier for everybody.
"For the first time out it was nice to see."
Indian ace Kevin Schoenherr gave up a two-out single in the top of the first inning, but got Celina clean-up hitter Jimmy Fishpaw to ground out to shortstop Clint Tobe to complete a scoreless opening frame. Then the Tribe offense gave him everything he would need.
Junior Bobby Rammel kicked off the season with a single to left field, and Clint Tobe walked two batters later. With runners on second and third thanks to a wild pitch and stolen base, Schoenherr helped his own cause with a two-run single to left.
Troy Metzger followed with a double over the head of Matt Paulus in left field to put runners on second and third again.
This time designated hitter Curt Heitkamp delivered, slapping a two-run single to right field.
"I don't know what we could have done different," said Celina coach Drew Braun. "They came out hitting the ball. It wasn't like we gave them those first four runs. They earned (them). There's nothing you can do about it I guess."
Fort Recovery piled on more runs - one in the second, one in the fourth, three in the fifth and two in the sixth - but the early four-run lead was enough.
Schoenherr kept the Bulldogs off the scoreboard for the first three innings - he struck out the side in the third - before getting into trouble in the fourth. He gave up two hits and two runs in the frame, but escaped without further damage and then turned the ball over to sophomore Toby Metzger.
"We were just happy that he placed the ball where he needed to, in-and-out, up-and-down, off speed," said Vaughn. "He was hitting his spots pretty well. We were glad to get him in there for a few innings and get him a lead."
Metzger finished off the victory for his senior teammate with three scoreless and hitless innings. He allowed a base runner in each frame thanks to three hit batsmen and a walk, but never let a runner advance past second base.
After a freshman season in which he hit under .200, Metzger also served notice Monday that his bat will be a bit more scary this year. He singled and scored a run in the second inning, then smashed doubles - they likely would have been home runs on most fields - to the base of the center field fence in the fourth and fifth.
The second of those doubles came with the bases loaded as Metzger finished a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBIs in his 2007 debut.
"He ripped the ball today," said Vaughn of his No. 9 hitter. "We're looking for big things from him and everybody this year. Hopefully one through nine we can be pretty solid. That's what we want to have. (Toby) did a good job for us today."
Heitkamp, the team's top returning hitter, picked up right where he left off last season, fouling off pitch after pitch on the way to a 2-for-3 effort with a walk, two RBIs and a run.
Tony Diller also had two hits - a bunt single in the fifth which set up Metzger's three-run double, and an RBI single in the sixth. Schoenherr reached base twice on errors and finished with three runs and two RBIs, and Tobe had a pair of stolen bases.
Celina's John Bonvillion took the loss, giving up nine runs - five earned - on 10 hits in five innings. Each of the final six Tribe runs was unearned thanks to Bulldog errors in the fourth, fifth and six.
Junior varsity
Fort Recovery gave up 10 runs in the first two innings of a 13-2, five-inning loss to the Bulldogs.
More than half of Celina's runs in the first two innings were unearned as the Indians committed four errors in the game. Travis Hart took the loss, allowing 10 runs - four earned - on eight hits and a walk in 11/3 innings.
Hart was one of seven Indians with a hit, and also scored a run. Tom Staugler also singled and scored a run.[[In-content Ad]]
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