May 18, 2018 at 1:47 a.m.
Semi-squeeze
Fort Recovery advances to district final on a squeeze bunt
Semi-squeeze
Copyright 2018, The Commercial Review
All Rights Reserved
ELIDA, Ohio — Cade Wendel and Chase Schrieber were locked in a pitcher’s duel for five innings.
Both had stymied opposing hitters, combining for 14 strikeouts and not a single walk while allowing only five hits.
They both stranded runners at third to keep the game scoreless.
The Indians weren’t able to swing the bat to string together hits against Schrieber.
So they bunted instead.
Reese Rogers put down a safety squeeze with bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth inning Thursday to drive home Riley Post as the game’s only run as the Fort Recovery High School baseball team beat defending district champion Ottawa-Glandorf Titans 1-0 in the Division III district semifinal at Ed Sandy Field.
“I knew the third baseman was going to be charging so I just tried to put it to the right side,” said Rogers, who had bounced out to the third baseman in the first inning and struck out in the fourth. “I knew I was going to be seeing curveballs because that was all I had seen the first two at bats. I knew it was coming. They made a good play at it and it just dropped in.
“It’s better to be lucky than good, I guess.”
Fort Recovery (21-4), which is ranked sixth in the state and seeded second in the district, advances to the final at 10 a.m. Saturday against top-seeded Coldwater. The No. 7 Cavaliers beat Van Buren 9-2 in the semifinal earlier Thursday.
Until the sixth inning, Schrieber was indeed good. He fanned five, scattered three hits and left Wendel standing at third base in the first inning.
But the third time through the Indians’ order the Tribe had him figured out.
Post led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a bloop single to right field, and Wendel followed with a bunt to the left side just past a charging Mike Bowers at third. Will Homan put down a sacrifice bunt with two strikes to move the runners, and Nick Thwaits got intentionally walked to load the bases with one out.
Rogers pushed the first pitch from Schrieber to the right side of the field, and first baseman Nathan Arrington made a diving attempt at the ball but was a tad late. Post slid into home, although there was no play, for the only run of the game.
“Reese is a good bunter also,” said FRHS coach Jerry Kaup. “He just bunted a little harder and it worked in our favor.”
As solid as Schrieber was for the Titans, Wendel was simply better.
After giving up a one-out hit in the first inning, he notched the first of his eight strikeouts and went on to retire nine straight Titans.
With one out and a runner on first in the fourth inning, Austin Horstman hit a liner that was headed up the middle. Wendel reached out his glove and got a piece of the ball, which caromed to Joe Homan at second base. Homan, who also singled, stepped on second for the second out and rifled to Rogers at first for the inning-ending double play.
Better lucky than good, right Rogers?
Two innings later, Evan Balash doubled to the gap in right center, and moved to third on an Owen Heigle sac bunt. But Wendel buckled down, struck out Bowers and got Horstman to fly out to Will Homan in center to leave Balash stranded.
“To get out of that jam I was just trying to place my curveball so it would be hard for them to hit,” said Wendel, who allowed three hits over six innings before giving way to Thwaits to record the save. “If they would (hit it) it would be on the ground. I’ve got two open bases, I can’t let them hit it hard anywhere.”
Thwaits, whose fastball was clocked as high as 93 miles per hour, struck out the first two batters he faced and got a soft grounder back to the mound for the final out of the game.
“I feel like each and every game both of us are getting better and I feel that gives us a lot of confidence,” Wendel said of himself and Thwaits. “Us coming into games, I always feel we have the better pitcher on our side.”
Thwaits, who is projected to throw in the district final, started when Fort Recovery got a 4-3 walk-off win to beat Coldwater on April 26 at home, but he did not get the decision. He gave up four hits over six innings that night, allowing two earned runs with six strikeouts and two walks. Rogers got the win in relief.
“It’s going to be a good one,” Rogers said. “It’s going to be our best versus their best. Nick didn’t have his good stuff the first time. Maybe it’s second time go around and he has his stuff.”
All Rights Reserved
ELIDA, Ohio — Cade Wendel and Chase Schrieber were locked in a pitcher’s duel for five innings.
Both had stymied opposing hitters, combining for 14 strikeouts and not a single walk while allowing only five hits.
They both stranded runners at third to keep the game scoreless.
The Indians weren’t able to swing the bat to string together hits against Schrieber.
So they bunted instead.
Reese Rogers put down a safety squeeze with bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth inning Thursday to drive home Riley Post as the game’s only run as the Fort Recovery High School baseball team beat defending district champion Ottawa-Glandorf Titans 1-0 in the Division III district semifinal at Ed Sandy Field.
“I knew the third baseman was going to be charging so I just tried to put it to the right side,” said Rogers, who had bounced out to the third baseman in the first inning and struck out in the fourth. “I knew I was going to be seeing curveballs because that was all I had seen the first two at bats. I knew it was coming. They made a good play at it and it just dropped in.
“It’s better to be lucky than good, I guess.”
Fort Recovery (21-4), which is ranked sixth in the state and seeded second in the district, advances to the final at 10 a.m. Saturday against top-seeded Coldwater. The No. 7 Cavaliers beat Van Buren 9-2 in the semifinal earlier Thursday.
Until the sixth inning, Schrieber was indeed good. He fanned five, scattered three hits and left Wendel standing at third base in the first inning.
But the third time through the Indians’ order the Tribe had him figured out.
Post led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a bloop single to right field, and Wendel followed with a bunt to the left side just past a charging Mike Bowers at third. Will Homan put down a sacrifice bunt with two strikes to move the runners, and Nick Thwaits got intentionally walked to load the bases with one out.
Rogers pushed the first pitch from Schrieber to the right side of the field, and first baseman Nathan Arrington made a diving attempt at the ball but was a tad late. Post slid into home, although there was no play, for the only run of the game.
“Reese is a good bunter also,” said FRHS coach Jerry Kaup. “He just bunted a little harder and it worked in our favor.”
As solid as Schrieber was for the Titans, Wendel was simply better.
After giving up a one-out hit in the first inning, he notched the first of his eight strikeouts and went on to retire nine straight Titans.
With one out and a runner on first in the fourth inning, Austin Horstman hit a liner that was headed up the middle. Wendel reached out his glove and got a piece of the ball, which caromed to Joe Homan at second base. Homan, who also singled, stepped on second for the second out and rifled to Rogers at first for the inning-ending double play.
Better lucky than good, right Rogers?
Two innings later, Evan Balash doubled to the gap in right center, and moved to third on an Owen Heigle sac bunt. But Wendel buckled down, struck out Bowers and got Horstman to fly out to Will Homan in center to leave Balash stranded.
“To get out of that jam I was just trying to place my curveball so it would be hard for them to hit,” said Wendel, who allowed three hits over six innings before giving way to Thwaits to record the save. “If they would (hit it) it would be on the ground. I’ve got two open bases, I can’t let them hit it hard anywhere.”
Thwaits, whose fastball was clocked as high as 93 miles per hour, struck out the first two batters he faced and got a soft grounder back to the mound for the final out of the game.
“I feel like each and every game both of us are getting better and I feel that gives us a lot of confidence,” Wendel said of himself and Thwaits. “Us coming into games, I always feel we have the better pitcher on our side.”
Thwaits, who is projected to throw in the district final, started when Fort Recovery got a 4-3 walk-off win to beat Coldwater on April 26 at home, but he did not get the decision. He gave up four hits over six innings that night, allowing two earned runs with six strikeouts and two walks. Rogers got the win in relief.
“It’s going to be a good one,” Rogers said. “It’s going to be our best versus their best. Nick didn’t have his good stuff the first time. Maybe it’s second time go around and he has his stuff.”
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