Paulik has 2 hits, but Logansport hands Zebras 4th straight loss

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Carson Paulik

LOGANSPORT — Carson Paulik had a double and a single, and Brant Beck drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the second inning, but the Rochester baseball team lost to Logansport 8-1 at Jim Turner Field Thursday.

Rochester lost their fourth straight game and fell to 10-13. Logansport bumped their record to 13-8.

Rochester took the lead on Beck’s RBI, but Logansport laced three triples and a double in a span of nine batters in the second and third innings off Rochester starter Conner Dunfee and built a 5-1 lead.

A three-run homer from No. 9 batter Bryson Herr in the sixth off reliever Parker Casper completed the scoring.

Joshua Middleton pitched a four-hitter for the Berries. He retired the side in order in the first, third, sixth and seventh innings, but Rochester also left six on base.

He struck out Brayson Flory and Liam Spence with two on base to end the second. He struck out Flory again with two on in the fourth to end the inning. And he got Dunfee to foul to first with runners on first and second to end the fifth.

“He did a good job of keeping us off-balance,” Rochester acting coach Todd Beehler said. “We were out on our front foot quite a bit. I thought on the few occasions where we did square the ball up, we hit the ball right at somebody, and he just did a very good job of filling up the strike zone and changing speeds to keep us off-balance, and it was really hard for us to get in any kind of rhythm tonight.”

Dunfee got Taylor Albright to ground into a 5-4-3 double play in the first after allowing a leadoff hit to Hudson Shank. Second baseman Spence turned a quick pivot on the twin killing.

But Braylon Ritchie tripled to deep right to start the second. Dunfee struck out Grady Alexander, but Kuper Jones drilled another triple down the right field line to tie it. Kolton Hudson’s RBI groundout gave Logansport a 2-1 lead.

In the third Herr led off with a triple. Shank walked and stole second. Albright then lined a two-run single to center to make it 4-1, and he advanced to second on the throw home.

Blake Pearson followed with a double to deep left-center to score Albright.

Casper took over to start the fourth. He faced the minimum six batters over the fourth and fifth, getting help when catcher Zakk Parks threw out Pearson trying to steal second in the fifth.

Casper walked Alexander and gave up a hit to Camden Chapman prior to the left-handed hitting Herr clearing the right field fence with two on in the sixth.

Rochester did not commit an error after committing three errors in a 10-inning loss to Northwestern Wednesday. Beehler said that was pleasing given that several players were playing out of position.

“We certainly have taken a step back from where we were a year ago defensively,” Beehler said. “Last year, I would say that we were a very elite defensive team. I think it’s caught all of us a little off-guard with our defensive struggles at times throughout the year. We’ve certainly put a lot of time and a lot of effort and emphasis on that in practice. I thought we played a very solid defensive game tonight.” 

Beehler filled in for Cory Good, who was attending his son Ripken’s preschool graduation. Ripken is one of the team’s bat boys.

Junior shortstop Brady Coleman, who went 4 for 5 against Northwestern and who has homered in each of his last two games, did not play due to an eye infection. Beck started at shortstop with Spence starting at Beck’s usual spot of second base.

Also, senior designated hitter-outfielder Callen Ferverda did not start. He has been limited due to a bulging disk in his back.

Paulik, who threw 120 pitches against Northwestern, played first base in order to rest his tender arm as much as possible. Dunfee got rare playing time at third base, instead of his usual first base, after leaving the mound in order to accommodate Paulik.

Logansport 8, Rochester 1

Rochester 010 000 0 – 1 4 0

Logansport 023 003 X – 8 9 0

WP – Joshua Middleton (7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 5 K)

LP – Conner Dunfee (3 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 3 K)

2B – Carson Paulik (RHS), Blake Pearson (LOG)

3B – Braylon Ritchie (LOG), Kuper Jones (LOG), Bryson Herr (LOG)