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Wednesday, 16 April 2008 |
’Dogs hand Wapak its first WBL loss
 Wapakoneta junior Patrick Huffman chats with Redskin varsity coach Jason Brandt after Huffman reached third base during Tuesday’s WBL contest at WHS. (Staff photo/ Joshua Keeran)
By JOSHUA KEERAN
Sports Editor
The Celina Bulldogs found ways to score in five separate innings en route to a Western Buckeye League victory over the Wapakoneta varsity baseball team on Tuesday.
While the Bulldogs made the most of their opportunities, the same can’t be said for the Redskins, who dropped their first league game of the season.
“(Celina) had five, one-run innings. They got a little here and a little there,” Wapakoneta varsity coach Jason Brandt said. “They did the little things that they needed to do.”
Trailing 4-2 entering the bottom of the sixth inning, Wapakoneta got back-to-back singles to begin the inning off Celina starter Travis Stachler.
With no outs and the tying run on first, the Bulldog coach staff turned to reliever Jeremy Kerr, who didn’t disappoint.
Kerr struck out senior Evan Saunders, got sophomore Shane Helmstetter out on a popout to second and forced junior Patrick Huffman to ground out to end the inning and strand runners on second and third.
“We had too many guys trying to be the hero instead of going out and making the small play. Their infield was back, so if we put a ball in play we get a run,” Brandt said. “We just need to make a little contact, but we had a couple of guys over swing. They were being aggressive, but at that time we need to know the situation and have good situational hitting.”
In the top of the seventh, Wapakoneta starter Justin Krebs walked the leadoff batter and was pulled in favor of sophomore Josh Vorhees.
After two straight singles, Celina found itself in business with the bases juiced and no one out.
Vorhees, though, limited the Bulldogs to a RBI flyout by Chad Schumann, giving the Redskins a shot to rally in their final at-bat down 5-2.
In the bottom of the seventh, Wapakoneta got singles from senior David Herman and sophomore Mike Bogans to put the tying run at the plate in the form of junior Matt Deffenbaugh.
Kerr, however, got Deffenbaugh to popout on a check swing to end the game and strand yet another runner in scoring position.
Celina found the scoreboard first in the first inning thanks to a Dustin Woods’ double followed by a RBI single to left field off the bat of John Bonvillian.
The Bulldogs struck again in the top of the third. Jared Bader led off with a single and then stole second and came around on a RBI double to left field by Woods, who was gunned down trying to stretch the double into a triple.
Ahead by two runs after four innings, Celina struck again in the fifth inning with a double to right field off the bat of Woods, who advanced to third when the ball was fumbled in right field.
With one out, Bonvillian grounded to Saunders at shortstop, who decided to try and gun Woods out at home, but the throw was late and the Bulldogs took a 3-0 lead.
The Wapakoneta offense finally got going in the bottom of the fifth inning when with one out, Huffman drilled a double off the right-field fence which was followed by a Herman single. Herman advanced to second on a errant throw from the outfield.
With two runners in scoring position, senior Zach Brown took a 0-1 pitch and deposited it into center field for a two-run RBI single that cut the deficit to 3-2.
The Bulldogs stole back the momentum in the top of the sixth inning. With one out, Darin Waterman struck out swinging, but the ball got past Bogans to the backstop which allowed Waterman to reach.
After he stole second, Waterman scored one out later when Saunders tried to make a play at shortstop, but the throw got away from senior Drew Golden at first, allowing Waterman to race home for a 5-2 Celina lead.
For Wapakoneta, Krebs allowed five runs, eight hits, four walks and struck out four in six innings of work.
“He threw the ball well. We had him around 90 pitches and he threw six innings which is right around where we want him to be,” Brandt said. “He gave up five runs, but honestly I think three or less were earned.
“Once again, we got to make some plays that we need to make or not make the play we made,” Brandt said. “We threw a ball away here and threw a ball away there that led to a run or two.”
WHS (3-5, 1-1) will face Anna today at 4:30 p.m. at Fifth Third Field in Dayton.
Celina 101 011 1 – 5-11-0
Wapak 000 020 0 –2-10-2 |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 18 April 2008 )
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