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Wabash beats Mac, so Zebras fall game behind in conference race
BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS
Sports Editor, RTC
Brayden Zink singled twice and scored a run on a passed ball in the bottom of the
seventh inning, but the Rochester baseball team lost to Manchester 6-1 at Bob Copeland Field Wednesday.
Tarick McGlothin had a double, and Ethan Medina, Gavin Young and Evan Elliott each had a single for the Zebras.
The loss dropped Rochester to 11-2 overall and 4-1 in the Three Rivers Conference.
Elsewhere in the TRC on Wednesday, Wabash scored in the bottom of the seventh to beat Maconaquah 2-1 and improve to 5-0. The Apaches are the only undefeated team left in the conference and will travel to Rochester on Monday.
Rochester also drew Wabash for their Class 2A, Sectional 37 opener.
Justin Hall pitched a six-hitter for Manchester (3-8, 2-3 TRC) in the win. He walked none and struck out three.
Rochester did not strike out at all in a 4-3 win over Northfield Monday, continuing a trend of making contact.
However, they have scored only eight runs in their last three conference games combined.
“He filled up the zone,” Rochester coach Cory Good said of Hall. “He competed. We had some good at-bats and hit the ball hard at times, but unfortunately, it was right at people. … Very limited strikeouts … we’re not going down swinging or looking, but we’re not piecing very good at-bats together. We’re not having guys step up when runners are on base like we did earlier in the season. So he competed and pitched right into the game, but I think we need to make some adjustments at the plate.”
Evan Martynowicz had two hits and two RBIs to lead the Squire offensive attack. Garrett Sites had two hits, and Ethan Espeset, Kobe Flock and Hall each had a hit and an RBI.
Manchester scored in each of the first five innings off starter Aaron Huffman and reliever Tanner Reinartz. Huffman tossed the first three innings and allowed seven hits and four runs (two earned). He walked one and struck out three. Reinartz allowed three hits and two runs over four innings. He walked one and fanned five.
“We just need to learn from these games,” Good said. “And we’ve been flirting with them in the past week-and-a-half or so, and we haven’t really adjusted or learned a lesson, I guess. So hopefully, tonight’s the night. Conference-wise, I mean we’re still going to compete every Monday and Wednesday from here on out and hope to string a few together and get hot at the right time.
“You know, it’s baseball too, the breaks. The way baseball is, you’re going to get yourself in a little slump at times, and it’s how are you going to get out? How are you going to respond? So that’s what I’m interested in and what my focus is on.”
Rochester and Manchester could meet again in the Class 2A, Sectional 37 final on May 30.
Manchester 6, Rochester 1
Manchester 112 110 0 – 6 10 1
Rochester 000 000 1 – 1 6 2
WP – Justin Hall (7 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K)
LP – Aaron Huffman (3 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K)
2B – Evan Martynowicz (MAN), Kobe Flock (MAN), Ethan Espeset (MAN), Tarick McGlothin (RHS)
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