Dragons hand Rebels second straight conference loss

By JASON VIOX / Daily Journal Sports Writer

PARK HILLS - The Central Rebels were hoping to get back on the winning track on Tuesday after taking a conference loss to Potosi the day before. However, the Ste. Genevieve Dragons had plans on their own. Central were plagued by four errors in an 8-1 contest in favor of the Dragons.

Ste. Genevieve's Jake Donze pitched another great game. The left handed, Murray State signee went the distance as he scattered four hits, walked two batters, and struck out eight. Donze was assisted by error-free defense throughout the day.

Ste. Genevieve's Justin Burr reached first base on a fielder's-choice play in the second inning. Donze singled to center field to place runners on the corners. A ground ball from Tanner Wolk gave the Rebels a shot of turning a double play, but the ball was mishandled as Burr scored and runners were placed on first and second.

Brad Schweigert came through with a well-placed bunt to move the runners up a bag. Vince Wolk connected on a two-RBI single for a 3-0 lead. Zack Bauer doubled to knock in the last run of the inning.

Jacob Greminger kicked off the top of the third inning with a single. Greminger later scored on three wild pitches. Tyler Thomure was walked and later stole a base. During Tanner Wolk's turn to bat, Thomure decided to steal third base. Although the throw to third base was made in plenty of time, the third baseman dropped the ball when the tag was applied.

Tanner Wolk hit a ground ball, but the throw to first base barely pulled Central's Brian Gross off of the bag. Wolk reached the bag before Gross regained his balance, and Thomure scored during the play to hand the Dragons a 6-0 lead.

The Rebels got their lone run in the bottom of the fourth frame. Ronnie Calvird was walked on four straight pitches and stole second base. Jimmy Thompson hit a ground ball to move Calvird up a base, and Justin Forsythe singled to center field for their only run of the contest.

Thomure was walked in the top of the fifth inning and reached second on a wild pitch. Donze followed with a RBI single to right field for a 7-1 contest.

Central's Aaron Bates singled in the bottom of the fifth inning and moved to second on a wild pitch. With two outs in the books, Dominic Petty hit the ball to center field, but Greminger made a great diving catch to stop the threat.

Greminger was hit by a pitch in the final inning and later stole two bases. David Burle hit a deep sacrifice fly ball to left field for the last tally of the game.

“We were just not here mentally,” stated Central's coach Bryan Wallen. “We only gave up one earned run, so it should have been a 1-1 game going to the end, but we just weren't very focused. Maybe this is one of those things that we're going to look back and this will be a turning point in our season.”

“The intensity level that we had a week and a half ago is not there,” added Wallen. “Maybe it's good that we do lose. Part of me feels like maybe we were getting a little bit ahead of ourselves on where we're at as a ball club.”

“I said all season long I think any pitcher we send to the mound we have a chance of winning a game as long as we're throwing strikes, and today Jake Donze demonstrated that,” commented Ste. Genevieve's coach Mike McDaniel. “But on top of that our fielders played great defense as well. We had no errors today and made some good plays in the field, and that helped Jake's performance on the mound.”

Calvird went 2-3 with a double and a walk, and Bates and Forsythe both added a single. Donze went 2-4, and Huck contributed a single. Forsythe took the loss for the Rebels. He pitched for six innings, walked three, and struck out eight. All of Forsythe's seven runs were unearned.

Ste. Genevieve, now 4-0 and 2-0 in conference play, will travel to De Soto today. The Rebels (4-3, 0-2 large-school MAAA) will host De Soto on Thursday.

Ste. Genevieve - 042 020 1 - 8 6 0

Central - 000 100 0 - 1 4 4

WP - J Donze 7i 4h 1r 1er 2bb 7k.

LP - J Forsythe 6i 6h 7r 0er 3bb 8k.

Hitting:

Ste. Genevieve - J Donze 2-4, Z Bauer 1-4, T Huck 1-4, J Greminger 1-4, V Wolk 1-4. 2b - Z Bauer.

Central - R Calvird 2-3, J Forsythe 1-3, A Bates 1-2. 2b - R Calvird.