In a home game last Wednesday, C-G-D had their chances to pull out a victory but just were not able to contain the Hampton-Dumont-CAL attack in a wild 16-12 loss. The home team plated three scores in the first, two in the second and three in the third. However, the defense surrendered nine runs in the fourth, and the Bulldogs posted three more scores in the sixth.
Nevan Foss swung a mighty stick, going 3 for 4 with a double and one run scored. Tyler Stein and Cael Chase were both 2 for 4, with Tyler getting two RBI and scoring two runs while Cael stroked a double and drove in two runs. Mateo Martinez added two RBI and Reed Abbas one, while Bryce Allen singled, had an RBI and crossed the dish twice. Preston Gardner bopped a double in his only hit, drove in two runs and scored two. Martinez, Krueger and Kain Nelson all crossed once each, Cristian Tamayo scored twice, with Martinez drawing two walks. Stein had three stolen bases and Foss one.
It was pitching by committee on this night, with Martinez going 2 ¾ innings and allowing two earned runs on four hits. He gave up three walks and issued two strikeouts. Foss threw for three innings, with none earned on just one hit. He had three walks and two K’s. Chase pitched one frame, allowing none earned on one hit with two walks. Ben Oehlert went 1/3 inning, allowing seven earned on five hits with three free passes given out.
“This was a game where neither team wanted to show the other too much since we will meet again in two weeks, and it didn’t count in the conference race,” stated head coach Nick Willwerth. “Foss played a phenomenal game, surrendering one run in three in his pitching debut and was barreling up the ball all night. He has really impressed me this year. Martinez really put the team first in a reliever role, getting us through a couple innings. We desperately needed outs and he stepped up and delivered to get us through. This loss is entirely on me. I didn’t manage our arms well at all during the game. This was a marathon game and we let our mental focus stray. We had a couple costly base running and defensive errors that really added insult to injury. This was a game you just flush and move on from.”
Prior to that, the red & black lost 4-2 at Algona in the opener. A single by Martinez, and RBI’s by Abbas and Krueger to score Stein and Foss was the sum total of the offensive attack. Krueger started on the hill, going three innings with two earned on two hits with four K’s. Nelson came on in relief for three innings, allowing no earned on just one hit with three K’s.
“We had to work through some first game nerves early on,” said the skipper. “I felt our defense played very well for our first night out. It was a tough arm to face the first night in Rindone (Algona pitcher), especially with just two weeks prep time. I felt we did a good job making adjustments and improving each time through the lineup. Nelson did a good job on the mound in relief.”
On Tuesday, they stayed on the road and played well in taking a close 7-6 loss at Rockford. The visitors were down 5-0 entering the top of the sixth before Willwerth’s boys exploded for five runs to tie it up. It was 6-6 entering the seventh. Unfortunately, the Cowboys couldn’t push one across the plate and Rockford did to take the win.
Three players swung big lumber in this one. Martinez went 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored. Abbas went 2 for 4, also with an RBI and a run scored, and Krueger was 2 for 4 and drove in a run. Foss stroked a double with an RBI and run scored, Chase had a single with two RBI and Stein, Allen and Oehlert all scored a run apiece.
Stein worked three innings, allowing two earned on two hits with two walks and seven K’s. Damien Strong-Bjorklund threw the balance, with four earned on six hits with four walks and four K’s.
“We did not come ready to play the first two innings, and it ended up costing us this game,” said Willwerth. “We continued to make adjustments each time through the lineup, which is very encouraging offensively. I give our guys credit for battling back after being down. We could just as easily rolled over and let the game get out of hand, but we kept competing. Stein pitched very well in relief. They were a fastball hitting team, and her did a great job of keeping them off balance with his off-speed stuff.”
They finished up with a 7-2 home loss to Lake Mills in non-conference play. The home team scored a run in both the third and sixth, with Stein topping the order at 2 for 4 with a steal. Martinez doubled in his only connection and had an RBI. Chase and Gardner both stroked a base hit each. Abbas, Foss and Nelson all drew a free pass to first each, while Tamayo stole a bag.
Krueger worked the mound for five innings, scattering five hits for three earned with four walks issued and a nice seven K’s. Nelson pitched the rest of the way, allowing four earned on just two hits with no walks and a strikeout. Kaleb King came in long enough to get a strikeout as well.
“We played six innings of solid baseball,” said Willwerth. “Krueger threw a really good game, save one pitch in the third inning. Martinez stayed hot at the plate. He has really made great strides offensively this year. He is becoming a student of the swing, and is becoming his own best coach. My job as a hitting coach is complete when the players don’t need me anymore. Mateo is getting to that point. Stein has been there for a while. It means we’re moving in the right direction.”
The guys travel to Rogers Park to play St. Edmond this Wednesday, then go to Clear Lake Friday. “Overall, this first week I knew there would be some bumps in the road,” concluded Willwerth. “It’s just one of those things we are going to have to play through and keep making adjustments. We can’t control where we start, we can only focus on improving each day. Control what you can control. We’ve got to play seven solid innings, and we played a lot of games with five or six. In all four games, we were either tied or within a run going into the last.”
