Grand opening: Cougars defeat Falcons in section opener, 9-3
REPUBLIC – Nathaniel Bell and Sammy Smalich combined for 13 strikeouts, and Zander Aird hit a solo home run and double to lead visiting Yough to a 9-3 victory Monday afternoon against Brownsville in the Section 4-AAA opener for both teams.
“Our pitcher kept us in the game, obviously, in the beginning part of the game. He was pretty dominant,” Yough coach Dan Palm said of Bell. “By the time our offense started putting some runs across, they started chipping away at him, so it was nice to see us add to the lead. It gave Nate a little breathing room.”
“He didn’t even get to his limit of 100 pitches. I could see he was getting a little tired, so I got him out of there. We’re very pleased with where he’s at.”
The Cougars (1-0, 1-3) scored three runs in the top of the sixth and seventh innings to put the game away.
Frankie Yovan started the rally in the sixth inning with a one-out single. Pinch-hitter Mikey Bobnar singled and Landon O’Donnell walked to load the bases.
Rylan Johnson came on in relief of Brownsville starter Gene Thorpe. He induced Vinny Daculas to hit into a run-scoring fielder’s choice. The Cougars scored the final two runs of the inning on infield errors.
“I thought Geno threw a really good game. He was at 89 (pitches). He had walked that last guy on five pitches. It’s early. I didn’t want to tax him too much,” said Brownsville coach Skooter Roebuck. “Geno did a great job getting on top and throwing strikes. Our relievers have to do the same thing.”
Bell began the seventh inning with an infield single. Johnny Steban was hit by a pitch. Jake Williams squared around to bunt, but was plunked off the helmet to load the bases.
The first run scored on a wild pitch. The second run scored on Aidan Shaffer’s ground out and Hayden Eicher’s single plated the third run.
“We hit two guys. We walked a guy that inning. They always score,” Roebuck said of the seventh inning.
Aird opened the scoring in style by launching a ball well over the left field fence for a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
“That kid’s just amazing. It was his first high school home run. He’s big and strong. I finally told him this year, don’t worry about striking out,” said Palm.
The Cougars added two runs in the top of the fifth inning when a ball was mishandled in the outfield and Steban’s run-scoring ground out.
Bell controlled Brownsville’s bats in the first four innings. He allowed just one runner when Jonathan Vasbinder doubled down the left field line.
The Falcons (0-1, 0-1) broke through in the fifth inning.
Jeremiah McDonald singled with two outs and advanced to third on consecutive passed balls. He scored when Harlan Davis squibbed a fly ball over first base for a single.
Brownsville pieced together three hits in the sixth inning for two runs.
Trenton Wible had a leadoff single and advanced to third on Hunter Pelehac’s one-out double. Wible came home on Thorpe’s single. Pelehac scored on a throwing error.
Bell struck out two batters in each of the first five innings and one in the sixth. Sammy Smalich struck out two more in the seventh inning.
“I told them (after the game) how frustrated I was because I don’t know what to do with batting practice to get them the importance of putting the ball in play,” said Roebuck. “Even with two strikes, put it in play.
“This is high school baseball. Kids are going to boot a ball around or throw the ball away. We don’t give ourselves a chance with strikeouts.”
Palm noted his lineup had a lot of new faces.
“We lost nine senior starters. We had 16 kids dressed today and nine of them are freshmen,” said Palm.