Rockets take down Loyal, but drop two at Abby-Colby

The Spencer Rockets baseball team added their first game to the victory column last week, overwhelming the Loyal Greyhounds in their home park 8-2. Spencer carried that form into Abbotsford on Saturday in their first game against the Abbotsford/ Colby co-op, but after a promising start, the Rockets fell back to earth with 16-5 and 12-0 losses that drop them to 1-4 on the season.

The Rockets had been building to it for several weeks, but victories remained elusive until May 7. The Rockets got that monkey off their back with a 8-2 victory over the Greyhounds that came courtesy of a huge first inning.

Spencer rattled off six runs in the top of the first, and that pressure proved too much for Loyal to overcome. The Greyhounds got one run back in the bottom of the first, but the Rockets added two more in the third for an 8-1 lead.

Loyal added one more run in the bottom of the fourth, but the Rockets dominated the pitcher’s mound and batter’s box. Spencer picked up eight RBIs on nine hits and enjoyed six walks even as Loyal struck out 11 batters.

Chase Higgins led the way for Spencer with two hits in three at-bats. Higgins’ big night at-bat included a double and a home run. Higgins and Dom Post each notched two RBIs apiece.

Luke Roehborn and Andrew Sieracki registered two hits each, and Chase Wirtz had one hit. Sieracki flashed his sweet feet leading Spencer in steals with three.

Post’s live arm struck out eight Greyhounds in six innings and allowed just one earned run on five hits as he took the win. Sieracki cleaned up in the final inning, striking out two and giving up no hits and just one walk.

“Loyal was a good game for us,” Spencer head coach Tim Buttke said. “We have a lot of kids that produce and show well in practice. I think in Loyal they showed us what we see in them and what we see in practice.”

One of the most difficult things in sports is learning to play with the lead. A golfer can have a great first day, and then struggle the next.

Consistency is the mark of a champion, and the Rockets learned the importance of staying the course in their first game of their May 8 double-header with Abbotford/ Colby.

The Rockets took the short trip to Red Arrow Park on Saturday, and quickly got on top of their hosts in the first, running out to a 3-1 lead.

Spencer built that lead to 4-1 at the top of the second, but could not keep it as Abby/ Colby found a groove at bat.

It didn’t help that the Rockets gave them plenty of help. After their strong start, the Rockets gifted Abby/Colby with a slew of a errors that led to steals and runs, and Spencer ceded their hard-fought momentum to the co-op.

“We had a good start, got up 4-1, made some nice hits, but then we just had too many errors,” Buttke said. “I think Abbotsford is a good team, they did a lot of nice things. They put the ball in play, but anytime you make errors, teams will make you pay. That’s what they did. We were extremely sloppy and we need to clean that up going forward.”

Once Abbotsford/Colby had that momentum, there was no going back, and the co-op rolled to victory.

Spencer was shut out in the third and fourth innings while Abby/Colby hammered away at the Rocket defense.

Missed ground balls, dropped balls or just plain bad luck hounded Spencer in the final innings, and Abby/Colby tacked on six and seven runs in the third and fourth innings for a 16-4 advantage.

The Rockets finally scored once more at the top of the fifth, but it was too little too late as the co-op picked up three quick outs to earn the first of two victories.

Spencer had little time to think about its loss, with the second game of their doubleheader following that 16-5 loss. But it was clear that the loss was still fresh on their minds, especially after letting a 4-1 lead slip away.

Abbotsford/Colby made quick work of Spencer, hanging three runs on them in the first. The Rockets’ cause was hampered by four errors, but the real story of the game was Abby/Colby’s pitcher Marco Olvera.

Olvera gave up just four walks, but was otherwise dominant from the mound as he pitched a no-hitter, striking out 11 Rockets in 15 at-bats. When the Rockets did make contact, Olvera’s teammates were there to help, picking off flyballs .

Abby/Colby added five more runs in the third and then three more in the bottom of the fourth. Kyler Bainer took the loss, pitching for 3.2 innings, surrendering seven earned runs on 11 hits while walking four and striking out two.

Buttke said his team made strides in their games this week, but Saturday’s losses proved his team still has a ways to go.

“We have a very capable team,” Buttke said. “They’re just not putting it together. It’s frustrating, but as far as looking forward, we just gotta focus on getting better each game.

“It’s all about doing the things we can, making the plays that are given to us and making the routine things look routine, and doing it routinely.”

ROSS PATTERMANN/STAFF PHOTO