16 walks cost Scots the win in a wet,wild one at West Ottawa
April 15,2013
The Caledonia JV team off a 21-11-1 freshman year and adding a quality defensive infielder in Caleb Sleeman expected this year to produce great things. If game one is an indicator, the Scots will struggle to get there. The Scots fell tonight to the West Ottawa Panthers in a very interesting game to say the least. Austin Coon started the Scots off with a hit by pitch on the very first toss of the year. After stealing second without receiving the sign from skipper Carl Giles and a groundout from Sleeman, Coon was 90 feet away from giving the Scots their first lead in 2013. But in what would be a recurring pattern for quite a while on both sides, he was stranded with back to back Ks of SS Trent Foreman and backstopper Danny Paas. No action occurred until the second inning with one out when fresh off his single to third Keegan Mulvey was leading off the bag at first. An errant pickoff attempt by the righty Pale and Mulvey was off and much to his mothers discretion slid into third base with just one out in the inning. An RBI double to the right centerfield gap by 2B Ben Hamp gave the Scots the 1-0 lead. The Scots would lead 3-0 into the 3rd when with two outs in the bottom half reliever at Trent Foreman was called in to relieve the Scots opening day starter Sleeman. It was a quality outing favor Sleeman who in 2.2 innings and 71 pitches allowed 0 runs on 0 hits 7 walks and 3 strikeouts. With a 3.31 ERA his freshman year, Trent Foreman repeatedly worked the Scots out of tough situations in 2012. Foreman quickly retired the first batter he faced in the 3rd, however that would be his only out of the day. Up 5-0 and going into the 4th the Scots felt they were on the path to victory despite the newly occurring heavy downpour. Coach Carl Giles was quoted in saying to his players that "when they pitch its clear and easygoing. Then the second our pitcher trouts out to the hill BOOM it's pouring like crazy." Foreman had walked the first batter and the next guy hit a routine grounder to Mulvey at third. Mulvey cleanly fielded the ball and fired it to Hamp covering the bag at second. Hamp made the turn to fire for a double play except that he forgot to bring the ball with him resulting in all runners being safe. Foreman then struggled to find the very tight congested strike out walking the next 5 batters and tightened the lead to 5-3. Giles then went to the bullpen and pulled out the lefty Nick Tuori to try and escape the bases loaded no out jam and maybe preserve the lead. As Tuori trotted out to the hill, the manager for West Ottawa applied some fresh clay to the mound to try and help the pouring of rain but it was useless in helping Tuori. He started off stellar having his first batter down 0-2. He threw the cutter outside and low and Duckworth roped it into the left centerfield gap for an RBI single. Tuori then walked the next guy with one pitch being a passed ball that now made it 6-5 West Ottawa with runners on the corners and no outs. Tuori threw a pitch that went off the catcher Paas' glove and skipped about three feet to the right of him and the runner was taking off for home. He appeared surely out as all Paas had to do was tag him. Well that didnt quite happen and so the Scots trailed 7-5. This would be the final as immediately following the next pitch which evened the count at 2-2 the first base umpire ruled the game to be over on the account of the ginormous puddle forming around first base. Duckworth for West Ottawa picks up the W (1-0, 7.00) Foreman is saddled with his first loss of the 2013 campaign (0-1, 84.00). Tuori blows just the second save of his career but doesn't allow an earned run in the process. The Scots fall to 0-1 and will host Grand Rapids Christian tomorrow for a doubleheader starting at 415 on the Caledonia varsity field.
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