Conference tilts

Continued from page 12

Totzke and Folz were both 3-for-4 from the plate to lead Abby/Colby offensively. Totzke had two RBIs and Folz had a double and one run scored. Michlig was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and one run scored, Fuentes, Hamus, and Rivera both scored a run after getting hits and the co-op stole six total bases on the evening.

Chequamegon, 3-1

For the second time that evening, Abby/Colby outhit their conference rivals but still came out with fewer runs, falling 3-1 in the second game of their double-header against Chequamegon on Thursday.

Payton Schreiber had an impressive performance on the mound for the co-op striking out 13 batters over the course of his five-and-a-third innings, but did not get much in run support as the Screaming Eagles pitching staff were able to silence the Abby/Colby bats for much of the evening. The pair of Chequamegon pitchers struck out 15 batters and held the co-op to just one run.

That run gave the co-op a brief lead in the first inning. Schreiber hit a one-out double to give Abby/Colby their first base runner of the evening. Ayden Michlig then drove him home two at-bats later on a single to right, putting the co-op up 1-0.

The advantage did not last long, however, as Chequamegon was able to answer in the bottom half of the frame. A leadoff double and a runner allowed by a dropped third strike for the Screaming Eagles were eventually able to come around to score on an error by the Abby/Colby defense, putting them into a 2-1 hole.

Schreiber kept Chequamegon off the board for the next four innings, but the co-op could not come up with the clutch hit they needed. A first-and-third situation with no outs in the second resulted in no runs for Abby/Colby, a situation that would repeat itself over the course of the evening as they went on to leave 13 base runners stranded. A run in the bottom of the sixth gave the Screaming Eagles some more breathing room heading into the final inning and while Abby/ Colby managed two base runners in the seventh, neither were able to come around to score.

Schreiber took the tough luck loss, giving up three runs on three hits and a walk while striking out 13 batters. Only one run was earned. Grayson Totzke finished out the sixth inning on the mound for the co-op, allowing one hit and striking out one batter.

Six different batters came up with hits for Abby/Colby. Schreiber went 1-for-1 and had the only multi-base hit, his first inning double. He also walked twice and scored the coop’s only run. Michlig had one hit in three at-bats, driving in Schreiber and walking once. Owen Hanson was 1-for-1 as well and Totzke, Christian Fuentes and Irvin Aguilera each had hits as well. Fuentes, Totzke and Carson Folz all had one stolen base.

IN CONTROL - Arturo Lopez delivers a strike during the co-op’s game against Chequamegon last Thursday. The sophomore pitcher gave up just two earned runs and struck out five batters in his six innings of work.

STAFF PHOTO/NATHANIEL UNDERWOOD