Tribe falls in rainy five

FORT RECOVERY — Rainy weather couldn’t keep the Indians off the field. But Versailles kept them from picking up a victory.
In a game played through intermittent rain showers Friday, the Tigers defeated the Fort Recovery High School baseball team 13-3 in five innings.
The Tribe trailed 2-1 through two innings before allowing four runs in the fourth as walks, wild pitches and errors helped Versailles (9-3, 2-0 Midwest Athletic Conference) pull away.
“I know we lost by a lot, but we are getting better,” said FRHS coach Jerry Kaup, whose team fell to 1-9. “We competed. I thought Hayden (Pottkotter) threw a nice ball game. He’s starting to become one of our leaders. He tried to give us an opportunity to compete …”
The Tigers grabbed control in the third inning when each of the first three batters — Damian Richard, Zach Niekamp and Dominic Richard — each notched singles. Their next four batters reached base on two walks and two errors, and Trevor Mescher had sacrifice fly to cap the four-run frame.
Versailles added two more runs on three hits, including a Niekamp double, in the fourth inning, and scored five times on four hits and three walks in the fifth.
“We started a little sluggish, but obviously put it together late and had some big innings,” said Versailles coach Mitch Hoying, whose team has won nine in a row after an 0-3 start. “Once they lost the strike zone that definitely opened the door.
“But Fort Recovery made a lot of plays. We hit some balls hard to them and they made a couple of good catches.”
Niekamp went 3-for-4 with three runs to lead the Tigers’ offense, and the Richards added two hits apiece. Dominic Richard scored three times and drove in two runs, Lee Kindell had runs and two RBIs and Damian Richard scored twice.
William Borchers also scored a pair of runs for Versailles, which drew eight walks in the victory.
“Our lineup is pretty deep,” said Hoying, whose squad got hits from eight different players. “Today Zach (Niekamp) was solid, tomorrow somebody else will be. … That’s been the key for us.”
After giving up two runs in the top of the first inning, the Indians got one unearned run back in the bottom of the frame.Chad Schroer and Alex Thien each reached base on errors by Borchers, the Tigers’ pitcher, to start the frame, and Hayden Pottkotter drove Schroer in with a ground out.
But the Tribe left five runners on base over the next three innings.
“We fell behind and that took away some of the things I thought we could try to do offensively. We thought we could hit the pitcher they threw tonight,” said Kaup, adding that he would have liked to use more bunts and hit-and-run plays. “Unfortunately, when you’re down seven runs, it’s hard to give that out up to maybe get a run.
“I’ve been pleased with how aggressive we are at the plate. We have to continue to work at it, and we will, but we are getting better.”
Jacob Muhlenkamp, a freshman, was the bright spot in the Indians’ offense as he finished 2-for-3 with singles in the fourth and fifth innings. Schroer scored two runs, and Hayden Pottkotter had a couple of RBIs.
“(Muhlenkamp) is going to be a very good offensive player,” said Kaup. “He’s beginning to feel more comfortable at the plate. He was 2-for-2 last night. … We did move him up a little in the batting order because he’s earned it. …”
Borchers kept the Indians’ bats mostly at bay, allowing just four hits in the victory. He gave up an unearned run in the first inning and pitched out of trouble in the next three as his team built the lead.
He got the win, giving up three runs — two earned — while striking out one and walking two.
“It’s a tough night to pitch,” Hoying said. “The weather is rotten. You can’t grip the ball. Will just took one for the team, threw as many strikes as he could and understood it was going to be tough … He did a very, very good job.”
Hayden Pottkotter took the loss for the Tribe as he gave up eight runs — five earned — on seven hits in 3 1/3 innings. He struck out one batter and walked four.[[In-content Ad]]