Baseball splits last four games

Offensive woes sees co-op win streak end at 5

The Abbotsford/Colby baseball co-op went 2-2 in its last four games, and as they move through the regular season, consistency is the word that is on every player’s mind.

Consistency at bat, consistency on defense and consistency on offense is the mantra that Abby/Colby head coach Ryan Bargender has been preaching since Day One, and with a little more consistency 2-2 could have easily been 4-0.

“Defensively we have shown some really good things, but we need to be consistent,” Bargender said as he assessed the last four games. “We have the athletes to be a very good defensive team. Consistency will be the key.”

7-3

The co-op faced one of their fiercest rivals, and arguably their biggest test of the season thus far, in the Athens Bluejays on Tuesday, May 11.

It was the first meeting between the Marawood - North rivals in 2021, and they both came in riding a winning streak. Athens had won its last three, while Abby/Colby was riding a four game streak, and eager to make it five.

Abby/Colby enjoyed home field advantage, but against a conference rival that had not dropped a Marawood - North game in ages, even playing at Red Arrow Park was no guarantee for a victory.

The ‘Jays proved that by grabbing an early 1-0 lead at the top of the first, but Abby/Colby held them to just one run through the first three innings. Athens returned the favor, holding the co-op scoreless in the first and second innings.

Athens loaded up the bases twice, but the co-op’s pitching and clutch defense led to a pair of double plays, and Abby/ Colby snuffed out the ‘Jays attempts to pad their lead.

“We didn’t allow many big hits,” Bargender said. “A lot of their stuff early on was dinks, and some weakly hit balls that managed to find holes. The defense stepped up, and that seems to be theme of every game - that when we face some adversity we are able to bounce back.”

The co-op took that momentum and used it to their advantage, taking their first lead at the bottom of the third with two runs that made it 2-1. Athens came right back, tying things up at 2-2 at the top of the fourth.

Key hitting and some lucky breaks with missed ground balls allowed Abby/ Colby to light up the scoreboard with four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning as the co-op took a 6-2 lead.

Hunter Soyk and Mateo Lopez’s pitching shut the door on the ‘Jays comeback hopes, and the co-op’s lead proved too much for Athens. The ‘Jays added one more run, but so did Abby/Colby, and it was the co-op that saw their win streak extend for at least one more game.

Bargender said the win was definitely a sign the co-op was moving in the right direction, and a big test that his players passed with flying colors.

“The last five to ten years they’ve always been up there. They’re a very solid program. We talked about this being a good measuring stick to see where we are at.”

The co-op collected five hits. Marco and Nick Olvera, Brandon Diedrich, JV Castillo and Mateo Lopez all recorded one hit. Castillo led the co-op in runs (3) and steals (2). Colby Senior Ross Elmhorst recorded a team high three RBIs.

Abby senior Hunter Soyk got the win, striking out five batters, giving up two earned runs and five hits in 4-1/3 innings. Lopez got the save, striking out two ‘Jays and allowing one hit in 2-1/3 innings.

5-1

The co-op saw the storyline reverse in their next meeting with the Bluejays just two days later. Abbotsford/Colby was in Athens on Thursday, May 13, and the ‘Jays pitching and defense cooled the coop’s formerly white hot offense.

“We have fallen off a little offensively, and we have had to resort to playing some small ball,” Bargender said.

That worked for awhile, with the coop’s speed paying dividends early on. The ‘Jays scored first in the fourth, but Abby/Colby tied things up with a run at the top of the fifth to make it 1-1.

Three times the co-op loaded the bases, and three times the co-op failed to bring runners home. The consistency that Bargender preached had a hard time taking root as Athens rode the live arm of ace pitcher Dayne Diethelm to a 5-1 victory.

“Our speed caused issues and we were able to manufacture runs. I would like to see us be able to hit more line drives.”

The co-op did collect five hits on the day, but Diethelm got the win on the mound after striking out seven batters in seven innings. Athens’ defense did not allowing a singled earned run as the ‘Jays got their revenge, snapping the co-op’s five game winning streak.

Not that the co-op simply gave the Bluejays the victory. Oh no, Athens definitely had to work for it as the co-op’s pitching and defense was rock solid for roughly five innings, surrendering just one run each in the fourth and fifth innings.

But those missed chances to score runs with the bases loaded came back to haunt the co-op, and even though it was only a 2-1 game at the start of the six, the ‘Jays’ three runs in the bottom of the six was all Athens needed to salt the game away.

JV Castillo scored the co-op’s only run, which came courtesy of a sacrifice fly from Brandon Diedrich at the top of the fifth. Diedrich was credited with the RBI, but failed to record a hit.

Marco Olvera and Hunter Soyk had two hits apiece. Castillo, Mateo Lopez and Cade Faber had the other hits, all singles. Ross Elmhorst took the loss, striking out four, walking two and allowing three hits in five innings.

Newman Catholic, 5-4

Abby/Colby quickly put their loss to the ‘Jays behind them, putting to bed any chance of a losing streak to develop after topping the Newman Catholic Cardinals on the road on Friday night.

The co-op struggled to get hits on Newman, but despite picking up only three hits, Abby/Colby led 5-1 after six innings thanks to four errors from the ‘Cards.

The game wasn’t without its share of drama, with the Cardinals putting on a late charge that saw them storm back to within one run. Nick Olvera seemingly had the game in hand at the bottom of the seventh, but Newman’s Brennan Shaughnessy crushed a home run that drove in two RBIs and brought the Cardinals to within one run at 5-4.

Mateo Lopez came into the game to replace Olvera, and Lopez fanned one batter and got two outs to earn the save and give the co-op the victory and pushed their record to nine wins.

Olvera pitched 6-1/3 innings for the win, striking out five, but gave up six hits. Mason Carpenter, Cade Faber and Ross Elmhorst all tallied singles. Elmhorst led with two RBIs.

2-1

The co-op was looking to start another win streak after knocking out the Cardinals, but the Adams-Friendship Green Devils had other ideas on Monday.

Abby/Colby found itself on the road, but the unfamiliar setting did nothing to dampen their skills, with the co-op turning in a strong effort on the mound.

“I am pleased with our pitching,” head coach Ryan Bargender said. “We haven’t been giving up many earned runs. We’ve been working on throwing more strikes and getting ahead early in the count.”

It certainly wasn’t the pitching that let Abby/Colby down on Monday in Adams Brandon Diedrich pitched six innings, striking out six and only walked two batters and gave up just three hits.

Instead, it was the hitting that let Abby/Colby down as the co-op failed to generate big shot, and the Green Devils held the co-op to one hit.

“We have gotten better at putting the ball in play the last two games and cutting down on strikeouts,” Bargender said. “At times we’ve been pressing, trying too hard to get key hits. We just need to trust ourselves and let hits happen. We’ve got very capable hitters.”

The co-op put pressure on the Green Devils, early on thanks to a run by Cade Faber, but Faber would be the only member of the co-op to pick up a hit, and the Green Devils only gave up two walks.

That was nearly enough to lead the coop to victory. Abby/Colby was rock solid on defense, holding the Green Devils, scoreless through six innings.

“Our best defensive game this season was last night versus Adams-Friendship. They are a very solid D-2 team.”

That inability to tack on more runs came back to haunt the co-op, and the Green Devils rallied for a two run spurt that gave them the victory and dropped Abby/Colby to 9-4 on the year.

It was another test for the co-op, and the non-conference loss stings, but Bargender saw plenty to like, and hopes that the hitting catches up to the co-op’s pitching in the coming weeks.

“We’ve played some very good competition the past week and a half. Overall, we just want to keep improving each day and peak come playoff time.”

LOPEZ LOCKS IT UP -Mateo Lopez gets the save on May 11, helping the co-op drop Athens to extend their win streak to five.

I’M TOO FAST FOR YOU -Cade Faber steals second base before Athens’ short stop can make a play during the co-op’s home game last week. Faber scored the only run in the co-op’s loss to Adams Friendship on Monday, and has been a welcome addition to the team in 2021. STAFF PHOTO/ROSS PATTERMANN