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Panthers claw past Wapakoneta ACME |
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Tuesday, 26 June 2007 |
By PHIL McLEAN
Staff Writer
ROCKFORD – For the second game in a row, a home run proved to be the undoing of the Wapakoneta VFW ACME baseball team.
With the score tied at 1, Parkway came to bat in the home fifth and quickly collect a pair of singles off Wapakoneta starter Jordan Reineke. A hit batsman served to load the bases. The Panthers Derek Snyder, who hadgone 0-for-2 in the game, came to the plate. He picked the pitch he wanted and sent the ball over the left-field fence for a grand-slam home run.
But despite the 5-2 loss, coach Craig Sammetinger was pleased with the team’s performance.
“The kids played well,” Sammetinger said.
Wapakoneta got on the scoreboard first when Corey Lotridge drew a lead-off walk in the third inning. He moved to third on a double by Zach Brown and scored when Mike Bogan hit a ball back to the pitcher that was mishandled.
The Panthers came back and tied the game at 1 when Jason Painter tripled. He was singled home by Levon Archer.
“I give all the credit to Parkway,” said Sammetinger. “They played fundamentally sound baseball.”
Reineke came in for praise from his coach.
“Jordan Reineke pitched a good game,” said Sammetinger.
When Reineke left the game after the fifth inning, Brown was called in from left field and even though he gave up two singles, the Redskins kept Parkway off the scoreboard.
Parkway’s Mike Baldurt hit a ground ball down the third base line that Matt Deffenbaugh fielded to get the force and then turned the double play when he retired Baldurt at first.
“Deffenbaugh played a nice defensive game at third,” said Sammetinger.
Wapakoneta got its only other run in the seventh inning. Chad Downing walked to open the inning. Mitch Beemer, the only Redskin player with two hits in the game, singled him to second. Lotridge got the RBI when he grounded into a double play.
But the Redskins seemed poised to start over. Brown was walked, but Parkway pitcher John Thompson got Andy Martin to ground out, ending the inning.
“If we had played like this against some of the other teams we faced this year, we’d have won,” Sammetinger said.
Parkway improves to 13-6 on the year.
The Redskins fall to 9-9.
Wapakoneta returns home this evening for a 6:30 p.m. game with Minster. |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 27 June 2007 )
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