ON THE FIELD — Brook second baseman Peyton Toepfer attempts to push Linsley's Rocco Paolina into a double play during a game Thursday at Holloway Field in Wheeling. The Cadets won 7-1. – Kim North
WHEELING — Thursday may have been the season opener for both pitchers Brook and Linsley, but both starters were in midseason form.
The Bruins' Henry Anderson and the Cadets' Tucker Doty each pitched well enough for the win, but neither was involved in the decision, and the host Cadets won 7-1 at Holloway Field. .
“Tucker had a great performance tonight as a sophomore who started in the opener. It was a tough position to put him in there, but he did a great job.” “We’re really excited about this,” said Jay Cartwright, Linsley’s veteran head coach.
Doty pitched five innings, striking out three, walking two, and allowing only five hits.
In the other dugout, Anderson fanned six, threw three free passes, allowed only two hits and one earned run.
“Henry pitched a great game. He did a great job for us.” Brooke first-year head coach Doug Costain said. “Early in the season it was all about pitch count, so we knew he had 50 to 55 pitches.
“I want to win every game, but it's still early.” he added. “He's done a great job for us.”
The Cadets took the lead in the bottom of the first inning with a leadoff walk by Jackson Murray. Carson Gessler bunted to second base, and Andrew Scudola's blind single to center field drove in Murray.
The game remained that way until the Bruins broke a tie in the top of the 6th inning. Garrett Hornig reached on a leadoff error and was replaced on base by pinch runner Gavin Moore. Relief pitcher Rocco Paolina's balk advanced Moore to second base, and with two outs, left-handed hitter Owen Petrella hit a base hit between triple and short hit to tie the game.
The inning might have been even bigger had Linsley center fielder Chris Upton not made a circus catch on a drive by Braylan Spellinger with no outs.
But with 10 Midshipmen at bat, Linsley hit six runs in the bottom of the inning. Scudra hit a two-run single as did Nate Berhalter. Kyle White hit a timely hit and another scored on an errant pitch.
“We finally got it together in the sixth inning, but we have to be more aggressive in the at-bats in the second half of the count.” Cartwright emphasized. “We saw three strikes five times. Four of them ended the inning and three or four with runners in scoring position. You have to swing the bat.”
Scudra led the winners' seven-hit attack with two singles and one double. He finished with three RBIs.
Anthony Buczynski had three of Brook's seven hits (two singles and a double). Raymond DeFranco had a single and a double.
“It's interesting even though I'm a first-year coach. I came here and listened to how Brooke hits and hits.” Costain pointed out. “Today it wasn't about the result at the plate, it was the approach at the plate. That's what we just talked about. We have to have a plan when we get into the batter's box. We'll get there. .”
Paolina grabbed the victory in relief. The left-hander hit a triple and didn't walk any batters.
Hornick took the loss.
Lindsley 7, Brooke 1
Brooke 000 001 0 – 1 7 1
Linsley 100 006 X – 7 7 2
B-Anderson (6K, 3BB), Hornick LP (4), (2K, 3BB), Murdock (6), (0K, 1BB), Provenzano. DeFranco S, D, Baczynski 2S, D.Petrella S, RBI
L-Doty (3K, 2BB), Paolina wp (6), (3K, 0BB), Wilson. Skadra 2S, D, 3 RBIs. White S, RBI.Berhalter S, 2 RBIs
