MAC's win streak stopped at five in split with Jeffco

By DONN ADAMSON
Daily Journal Sports Editor

HILLSBORO — Coming into Saturday’s doubleheader against the Jefferson College Vikings, Mineral Area’s defense was still very effective as they did not make an error in either game, but the offense could not get started in game one and Vikings’ pitcher Kyle Smith ended the Cardinals win streak at five with a 4-0 shut-out.

In the second game, MAC’s offense exploded for 12 hits, and it was the Cardinals turn to record a shut-out by a score of  13-0.

In game one, the Cardinals started offensively with a lead-off double down the left field line by designated hitter Blake Pinnon on the very first pitch of the game. A sacrifice-bunt attempt was too hard, and Smith fielded it cleanly to throw out Pinnon at third. It would be the closest the Cardinals would come to having a runner reach third base.

In the second inning, Chad Moss walked and reached second on a single by Drew Pixley, but a blistering grounder to third was right to the glove of third baseman Zachary Blanchard, who knocked it down and was able to dive to the ground in picking it up and reach out to touch the base with the ball for the force out.

Mineral Area did not have another runner on base until Pixley walked in the fifth. Pixley tried to steal second, but having slid over the bag he was tagged out before he could reclaim contact with the base. Thompson followed with a single, only to be stranded at first after the third out was recorded.

A one-out double by Garrett Oliver in the sixth was to no avail as Smith got the next batter to fly out to right and then record his sixth strike-out.  

The Cardinals were able to literally knock Smith off the mound in the seventh inning as a blast from the bat of Moss bounded up off the base of the mound and caught Smith on his pitching arm. Smith was unable to continue, bringing in Rob Wort in relief. A bobbled ball by Jeffco’s third baseman allowed Thompson to reach base again, but a pop fly to Wort ended the ball game.

MAC’s starting pitcher Logan Lawson was having a very good outing until the sixth inning. Lawson gave up a solo home run in the second to John Lyons, and then a routine walk, sacrifice and RBI single by Luke Schlechte in the third scored a second run.

Schlechte was thrown out by Pixley trying to steal, and Pixley would do the same to wind up a double play in the fourth on a swinging strike three to catch Nick Becker who had reached on a single.

In the sixth inning, Schlechte led off with double to the right-center field fence for the Vikings, and on a 3-0 count Brandon Wings tagged the ball over the left-centerfield fence for the 4-0 score. Lawson walked the next batter and Becker hit a double to chase Lawson. Lawson left with seven strike-outs and gave up only five hits and two walks.

Reliever Justin Forsyth intentionally walked the next batter to load the bases, and it paid off as he grabbed a comebacker to throw home to start a 1-2-3 double play to end the Vikings’ scoring.

Game two saw a complete change-over of the offense. Garrett Wiggans took command of keeping the Vikings’ bats silent and he did it by allowing only one hit by the home team. Wiggans walked only one batter and struck out five in the 10-run rule shortened five-inning game.

The Cardinals (10-7) scored three runs in the second inning, one each on a bases-loaded walk by Ty Craft, a ground out by Moss and a single by Pinnon.

Five more runs crossed in the fourth inning to chase Jeffco pitcher and North County graduate Aaron Blunt from the mound.

Two straight singles by Moss and Pixley and a walk by Pinnon loaded the bases for Matt Thompson who drove in the first two runs of his 4-RBI game with a single. Oliver followed with a two-run double and Shane Menz singled to score the fifth run of the inning.

The Cardinals came back in the fifth to again score five more runs. Three straight walks issued to Moss, Pixley and Pinnon set Matt Thompson for another two-RBI single, Oliver singled and Menz delivered a two-run double  and then scored on two passed balls. Wiggans closed the door in the bottom of the fifth for the win.

Mineral Area will be back home on Tuesday when they host Forest Park at 1 p.m.