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Zebras score 8 in first inning of Game 1, 7 in first inning of Game 2
BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS
Sports Editor, RTC
Rochester baseball coach Cory Good thought his team took its foot off the gas during the first game of its home doubleheader against Oregon-Davis at Bob Copeland Field Saturday.
In the second game, the team puts its foot back on the accelerator.
Rochester went on to win the first game 12-8 behind Tarick McGlothin and then cruised to a 22-6 win in five innings in the second game.
Game 1: Rochester 12, Oregon-Davis 8
Rochester scored eight runs in the first inning of Game 1 to take an 8-0 lead, and they never trailed.
The Bobcats scored five runs in the fifth to get within 10-8, but Tarick McGlothin’s RBI single brought home Jake Seuferer in the bottom half to restore a three-run lead, and Grant McCarter would score a run on a wild pitch in the sixth to make it 12-8.
McGlothin, the first of three Rochester pitchers, got the win after allowing four runs in 4 ⅓ innings. Brayden Zink got the final two outs in the fifth, and Ethan Medina pitched two scoreless innings for the save.
Medina picked off two O-D baserunners during his stint, including Josh Yakimicki to end the game.
“He was big,” Rochester coach Cory Good said of Medina. “We needed somebody to come in and throw strikes and finish that game off. And he was the guy that did it. His approach at the plate has been really good all year. … We’re going to rely on him a lot, and he came through for us today.”
Reinartz had two hits and three RBIs, including a two-run triple in the first. Brock Beehler had a two-run single in the first to make it 4-0, and he later scored on a balk. Gavin Young’s RBI grounder to short made it 6-0, and Ethan Medina capped the inning with a two-run double.
A run-scoring error on Kane Lutz’s grounder scored Beehler to make it 9-0 in the second.
Reinartz’s RBI single in the fourth made it 10-3.
But Oregon-Davis countered with five runs on just one hit in the fifth. Rochester pitchers walked five in the inning, including four consecutive batters at one point.
Rochester senior left fielder Quin Stesiak might have made the top defensive play when he dove full out to his right to rob Cashton Swanson of extra bases with runners on second and third and one out in the fourth.
Yakimicki appeared to tag up and score. Rochester appealed to third base before the next pitch, saying that Yakimicki left too early. The umpires consulted with each other and called Yakimicki out for an unusual double play.
Conner Danford pitched two innings and allowed nine runs (eight earned) and took the loss for the Bobcats. Yakimicki allowed three runs in four innings of relief.
“I thought our approach changed at the plate a little bit after scoring eight in the first,” Good said. “Not getting satisfied, but just maybe taking the foot off the gas a little bit.”
Game 2: Rochester 22, Oregon-Davis 6 (5 innings)
Rochester followed their eight-run first in the opener with a seven-run first in the nightcap.
They added seven more runs in the second to take a 14-4 lead.
Grant McCarter had a pair of two-run doubles and drove in four runs, and Medina had a triple, a walk and three RBIs.
Quin Stesiak had two singles, a double and an RBI. Reinartz had a single and two RBIs. Jake Seuferer went 2 for 2 with an RBI. McGlothin also had two hits and an RBI. Evan Elliott went hitless, but he walked and was hit by three pitches and drove in two runs. Zink had a hit and an RBI. Beehler singled and scored twice. Kane Lutz drove in a run and scored a run.
Played in a near-constant rain, the game featured 19 walks, six hit batters, eight wild pitches and 13 stolen bases.
Elliott pitched 4 ⅓ innings and allowed four hits and six earned runs. He walked eight and struck out three. Aaron Huffman got the final two outs in the top of the fifth.
Good praised Stesiak, Seuferer and McCarter for “getting himself going.”
“I thought we saw a lot of different types of pitching today,” Good said. “We adjusted to each one well. I thought our approach was pretty good all day long. We had some guys start knocking the ball around that needed to.”
McCarter said he made an adjustment to his stance.
“Just this morning, I don’t know if you noticed, but I kinda loosened up a bit,” McCarter said. “I used to always be real low and crunched over, but I feel like standing tall and using my height to my advantage, and (I felt) more comfortable and relaxed. And it seemed to be alright.”
McCarter said the team has a chance to be better than the 2019 team that shared the Three Rivers Conference title with Southwood.
“Since we didn’t have a season last year, going into 2019, we knew who our pitchers were, whether it was Trey (Stesiak), Braxton (McGlothin) and after that we knew who our (number) 3, 4 and 5 guys were,” McCarter said. “But I think we definitely have a chance to be better. Pitching’s going to be the key. Defensively, it seems like we’ve been OK. If we can find the strike zone and if we can keep guys off-balance and stuff, I think we’re going to be pretty good.”
Oregon-Davis catcher Jake Cooper was ejected for malicious obstruction for making contact with Brayden Zink when Zink tried to score on McGlothin’s sacrifice fly in the fourth.
Game 1: Rochester 12, Oregon-Davis 8
Oregon-Davis 002 150 0 – 8 7 1
Rochester 810 111 X – 12 10 5
WP – Tarick McGlothin (4 ⅓ IP, 3 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K)
LP – Danford (2 IP, 5 H, 9 R, 8 ER, 3 BB, 2 K)
2B – Conner Danford (O-D), Kane Lutz (RHS), Ethan Medina (RHS), Brock Beehler (RHS)
3B – Kyle Reinartz (RHS)
Game 2: Rochester 22, Oregon-Davis 6 (5 innings)
Oregon-Davis 400 11 – 6 4 4
Rochester 772 6X – 22 13 1
WP – Evan Elliott (4 ⅓ IP, 4 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 8 BB, 3 K)
LP – Nolan Green (⅔ IP, 5 H, 7 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 1 HBP, 1 K)
2B – Josh Yakimicki (O-D), Grant McCarter 2 (RHS), Quin Stesiak (RHS)
3B – Ethan Medina (RHS)
Rochester left fielder Quin Stesiak makes a diving catch to rob Oregon-Davis’ Cashton Swanson in the fourth inning of Game 1 of a doubleheader at Bob Copeland Field. Stesiak’s catch would lead to a double play in the Zebras’ 12-8 win. Stesiak would add three hits in Game 2 as Rochester would complete the sweep with a 22-6 win in five innings. Rochester is 8-5 on the season. (photo provided by Paula Beehler)
