MAC pitching staff has long day against Maple Woods

By MATT KING/Daily Journal Sports Writer

PARK HILLS - A persistent wind blew out toward the center-field fence at Mineral Area College on Saturday, signifying a potentially frustrating afternoon for pitchers.

MAC hurlers combined to serve up five home runs, and compounded their problems by walking 19 batters in a pair of losses to Region XVI rival Maple Woods. The Centuars scored 15 unanswered runs over the sixth and seventh innings for a 21-10 victory in game one before cruising to a 7-1 triumph in game two.

The first inning of game one proved to be long and rocky for both starting pitchers, but neither would factor in the decision.

Blake Jones allowed a two-run homer to right by Jake Blackwood and a grand slam to Michael Younghanz following three consecutive walks as Maple Woods (4-3) quickly jumped to a 6-0 lead. Jones tossed a scoreless second frame before departing.

Vince Ortega was equally as shaky on the mound for the Centuars as two hit batsmen and a walk sparked a rally for Mineral Area. After Tyler Stahl walked to force home the first run of the day for the Cardinals, Jeff Scott lined a two-run single to make the score 6-3.

Catcher Lucas Hulsey ripped a two-run double to the right-center field gap and Michael Hall added a game-tying RBI single. All six of the Cardinals' first-inning runs scored with two outs.

The Cardinals seized their first lead with two runs in the second inning as Joaby Sikes and Marty Clements began the frame with back-to-back singles. Sean Bard lifted a sacrifice fly to score Sikes, and Ryan Becker added a RBI single.

Becker led off the fifth inning with another single to finish the game 2-2 at the plate. Scott and Hall then drove in runs with their second hits of the contest, respectively to increase the Mineral Area advantage to 10-6.

Reliever Drew Horrell kept the Cards in front with three shut-out innings of work, but ran into trouble in the sixth as a dropped fly ball in left field quickly snowballed into a seven-run frame for the Centuars. Horrell struck out three batters in taking the loss.

After Josh Abercrombie trimmed the Maple Woods deficit to 10-9 with a RBI hit, Younghanz tied the game with a bases-loaded ground out off of new pitcher Matt Holland. An intentional walk reloaded the bases with one out, and would backfire when ninth-place hitter Chris Redman cleared themb with a three-run triple to left-center.

Maple Woods would add eight more tallies in the seventh inning against three different MAC pitchers. Shane Elenz drove in two runs with a single, and Blackwood capped a huge offensive game with his second homer of the game, finishing 4-6 with seven RBI.

Jesse Boegner pitched two-thirds of an inning with one strikeout to earn the win in relief.

Game two would prove to be much more uneventful for the Cardinals, especially at the plate. Tyler Lipscomb silenced the Mineral Area bats by allowing just one hit over five innings while walking three and striking out two. Play was called after five innings due to darkness.

Ryan Hoffman singled with one out in the first inning for the only MAC hit and would score the Cardinals' lone run of the contest on a bases-loaded walk to Becker. A crucial double-play prevented any further damage.

MAC starter Michael Hardin retired the first four batters he faced, but surrendered a solo home run to Nick Jaros in the second inning which tied the game at 1-1. Hardin was tabbed with the loss, allowing five runs on four hits and three walks while fanning five.

A long two-run double to left field by Ross Kelling gave the Centuars the lead for good in the third, and Younghanz added a two-run blast over the right-center field fence in the fifth to make it 5-1.

Maple Woods picked up two additional runs in the fifth without the virtue of a hit as pitcher Luke Holland walked four batters and hit another.

The Cardinals (3-3) will travel to Carterville, Illinois on Tuesday for a double-header against John A. Logan.