A/C baseball tops Loggers
The Abbotsford/Colby baseball co-op started a new winning streak after they downed the Phillips Loggers on Monday at Red Arrow Park in double-header action. The pair of wins gives the co-op a lead in the Marawood - North standings, and improves their record to 3-2.
11-9
The Abbotsford/Colby baseball co-op performed an escape that would have made Houdini proud, overcoming a 7-3 deficit late in their first meeting with the Loggers in Red Arrow Park.
The co-op took an early 3-0 start in the game, only to see the Loggers produce a six running effort at the bottom of the fourth inning. Rather than crumple and concede defeat, the co-op fought back.
“We were down 7-3 late in the first game,” head coach Ryan Bargender said. “It was certainly nice to see the kids believe in themselves and come back to pull out the victory. They could’ve easily folded. It was a true team effort. Knowing that we have the ability to come from behind will be beneficial down the road.”
The co-op then had their own offensive eruption at the top of the six, plunking five runs on the scoreboard to the delight of the home crowd as they reclaimed the lead at 9-7. That joy proved short lived as the Loggers hung two runs on the co-op in the bottom of the sixth to make it 9-9 in the topsy-turvy conference clash.
The co-op was unfazed, and got back to work, snapping off two runs at the top of the seventh for the 11-9 advantage. From there, the co-op’s defense did the rest, holding the Loggers scoreless for their second victory of the season, and first in Marawood - North action.
Payton Schreiber and JV Castillo split pitching duties. Castillo brought the heat through the first three and half innings, striking out nine, but giving up eight hits as the co-op’s young outfield struggled to locate deep hits. Schreiber took the win, fanning five batters while giving up just two walks, two runs and one hit.
The co-op’s performance in the batter’s box bodes well for the season after they record ten hits in 30 at-bats. JV Castillo went 2x3, Brandon Diedrich was 2x4 and Blake Bargender led the co-op with a 3x5 performance. Bargender had a double, Diedrich had a triple. Evan Reis stole two bases and Castillo stole three bases.
Phillips, 12-2
There was little drama in Part Two of Abby/Colby’s double-header with Phillips. The co-op abused the Loggers from the batter’s box, scoring multiple in runs in the first four innings, and at least one run through the first five innings on Monday night.
Their defense was just as good, holding Phillips scoreless through the first four innings. Abby/Colby took a 4-0 lead after one inning, added two runs in the second, three in the third and two more in the fourth for an 11-0 lead.
The Loggers finally got on board in the top of the fifth with a two run outing, but the co-op added one more run at the bottom of the fifth that all but sealed the deal.
The co-op finished with eight hits to the Loggers three, along with nine RBIs. Those hits came in just 20 at-bats in five innings, with ten appearances resulting in walks.
Evan Reis, Brandon Diedrich and Payton Schreiber all had doubles. Nano Lopez finished 2x3 at-bat, and Schreiber was 2x4. Mateo Lopez took the win at the mound, pitching four innings, surrendering just two hits, no runs and striking out six. Reis pitched one inning, allowing two runs, one hit and one walk and striking out three.
“Tonight our bats finally came alive. We have some good hitters that have been struggling to find hits early this season,” Bargender said. “Hopefully, this will build their confidence. It was great to get these two conference wins and set the tone to our conference season.”
The Abbotsford/Colby baseball co-op was denied victory when they fell to the Wausau East Lumberjacks in Appleton on Saturday, April 9.
The co-op drew first blood in the nonconference showdown with the WIAA D-1 program, taking a 1-0 lead after the top of the first, but the Lumberjacks hacked into that lead, and pulled away for good in the next two innings.
Wausau East picked up four runs in the bottom of the first inning, held the co-op scoreless at top of the second, and then tacked on three more insurance runs for a 7-1 lead going into the third inning.
Abby/Colby shored up its holes on defense in the third inning, holding the Lumberjacks scoreless, but they gave up a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth to head into the sixth trailing 9-1.
The co-op managed to get on board again at the top of the sixth, but after that first score, the Lumberjacks slammed the door on a potential comeback, adding a run of their own for a 10-1 victory after seven innings, dropping Abby/Colby to 1-2 on the season.
The co-op registered five hits, but only Brandon Diedrich’s bat notched multiple hits. Diedrich finished 2x3, with one double. Payton Schreiber had one hit, a double, JV Castillo had a triple off his lone hit and Nano Lopez recorded a single. Castillo scored both runs.
The Lumberjacks struck out eight batters and walked Abby/ Colby three times. Diedrich took the loss at the mound, pitching three innings, striking out three, walking two and giving up seven runs on three hits.
Castillo, Schreiber and Mateo Lopez all took their turns at the pitcher’s mound, throwing for one inning apiece. Together, they allowed four hits, three runs and five walks. Castillo fanned four batters and Lopez struck out one.
The co-op’s next game is scheduled for Thursday, April 11, at Red Arrow Park at 4:45 p.m. against Adams-Friendship.
715-223-2255 STAFF PHOTO/ROSS PATTERMANN
EYES ON THE BALL -Abby/Colby’s Brandon Diedrich keeps his eye on the ball to see if it’s fair or foul during the co-op’s first game with Phillips.STAFF PHOTOS/ROSS PATTERMANN
SWING, BATTER - Mateo Lopez takes a practice swing. Lopez had a pair of hits on Monday’s doubleheaderwith Phillips.
