A/C baseball goes 3-1 in opening week
As the dreary conditions of winter gave way to better weather this past week, the Abbotsford-Colby baseball team was finally able to get onto the field. The team suffered an opening day defeat in their game against the Lakeland Thunderbirds, but was able to bounce back for three straight victories, taking down the Loyal Greyhounds before getting two important conference wins over the Phillips Loggers in their doubleheader on Tuesday evening.
18-0
In their first conference game of the season, Abby-Colby looked every bit the defending Marawood champions. The co-op dominated the Phillips Loggers on both sides of the ball, taking the first game of the double-header 18-0.
While technically the home team, the Abby-Colby squad faced off against their conference foe in Wisconsin Rapids, where they have played all four of their games this season. That being said, they looked right at home against the Loggers, putting together an impressive outing in which they scored in all four innings they batted in and held Phillips to just one hit.
A combination of Mateo Lopez, JV Castillo and Nano Lopez kept the Loggers at bay from the mound. Mateo Lopez received the start for the co-op and notched his first win of the season by allowing only one hit through the first three innings pitched, giving up no runs and striking out five in the process. Castillo and Nano Lopez came into the game in relief and both pitched an inning. Castillo struck out two and walked one and Nano Lopez struck out one and walked one while maintaining the shutout for the co-op.
Runs came early and often for Abby-Colby, scoring five, six, three and four runs in consecutive innings.
Castillo went 2-2 with a double, four RBIs and two runs scored from the leadoff spot. He also took three walks to get on base in each of his plate appearances. Brandon Diedrich hit his third triple of the season and drove in three runs for Abby-Colby and Carlos Lara had a double and two RBIs. The entire starting lineup either picked up a hit or scored in the first game of the double-header. Jaxon Polivka stole two bases and Diedrich, Mateo Lopez and Jackson Snapp each had one.
12-0
The co-op completed the sweep of Phillips in their second game against the Loggers on Tuesday evening. Propelled by a 10-run third inning, Abby-Colby cruised to another victory that would end early due to the mercy rule, defeating the Loggers 12-0.
Abby-Colby’s defense once again completely shutdown Phillips’ lineup. Brandon Diedrich started on the mound for the co-op, striking out three and allowing no baserunners in his two innings of work. Evan Reis followed up with three innings of one hit ball, striking out four while walking one.
In the 10 innings played against the Loggers on Tuesday, the co-op’s five pitchers surrendered just two hits and no runs while also striking out 15 batters.
Two runs in the top of the first inning gave Abby-Colby an early lead, and while they were held scoreless in the second, the first time they had not scored in an inning that night, a double-digit third inning all but put the game away. Ten runners came across the plate for the co-op in the third, the most they have scored in a single inning this season.
Mateo Lopez went 2-3 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored. Diedrich and Blake Bargender both had two RBIs as well and Carlos Lara added two hits and an RBI. Reis scored three runs to lead the co-op in that category.
Lopez, Reis, and JV Castillo each had two stolen bases apiece. Between the two games, the Abby-Colby squad swiped 11 bags.
13-0
The Abby-Colby squad captured their first win of the season on Monday, crushing the Loyal Greyhounds 13-0 in five innings. Brandon Diedrich collected two triples and three RBIs to lead the offense and Payton Schreiber held Loyal to just two hits over his five innings on the mound.
After being held to just two runs in their first seven innings of the season, the co-op’s offense came to life early in their matchup with the Greyhounds. Taking advantage of two early walks, Abby-Colby scored the first run of the game off an overthrow on a steal attempt by JV Castillo. Diedrich then sent a 1-1 pitch to the right field wall for an RBI triple before being driven in himself by a single up the middle by Blake Bargender in the next at-bat.
Abby-Colby piled on to the three-run first with an even bigger second inning. Three walks and a single would lead to a run and load the bases for Mateo Lopez. Lopez sliced a line drive over the Greyhounds’ third baseman, driving in two more runs for the co-op. Diedrich’s second triple of the game came on the next at-bat as the senior launched a pitch to deep left-center to put his team up 8-0. Schreiber helped his own cause by driving in Diedrich two at-bats later and an error gave the co-op a 10-0 lead.
An RBI single from Blake Bargender and a two RBI double courtesy of Carlos Lara in the bottom of the third kept things rolling for the co-op.
Meanwhile, Schreiber and the Abby-Colby defense stifled any hopes the Greyhounds had at keeping pace with their opponents. The co-op’s starter used 79 pitches to navigate Loyal’s lineup, striking out eight batters in the process while walking three. The biggest threat the Greyhounds were able to put together came in the fourth, where they had runners on first and third with two outs. However, Schreiber was able to induce a ground ball to Diedrich at first base and escape the inning unscathed. The sophomore pitched all five shutout innings for the co-op and the mercy rule enacted in the bottom of the fifth gave the Abby-Colby team their first victory of the season.
Diedrich went 3-4 from the plate and scored three runs in addition to his three RBIs. Bargender was a perfect 2-2 with a walk and two RBIs. Castillo, Lopez, Lara and Jackson Snapp each had a hit. Evan Reis drew three walks and he and Castillo both had a stolen base to their name.
5-2
The co-op kicked off their 2023 season with a tilt against the Lakeland Thunderbirds last Thursday. While Abby-Colby got a solid start from senior Brandon Diedrich, a three-run sixth inning turned the tables in favor of the Thunderbirds. The co-op couldn’t muster the offense to respond and fell in their first game of the season, 5-2.
While not the original season opener, the weather was certainly reminiscent of most early April affairs. The sun may have been shining, but cold wind gusts nearing 20 miles per hour pushed across the field, chilling fingertips and making even the most routine of fly balls unpredictable.
Such conditions, while typical for this time of year, can sometimes have an effect on pitchers’ control, the cool weather tightening muscles and making the ball difficult to grip. If either starting pitcher was feeling such effects, it was not noticeable outside the first few batters Diedrich faced. While a hit batsman would come around to score for Lakeland in the first inning, neither pitcher would allow many baserunners over the course of their start.
After working himself out of a jam in the first, Diedrich put forth a solid performance on the mound over the next four innings, scattering a handful of hits while striking out five batters and only walking one.
Baserunners were at a premium for both teams early, but Abby-Colby finally broke through in the fourth. Diedrich got himself on base and then promptly stole second to put the pressure on the Thunderbirds. Blake Bargender then roped the first pitch into left-center field to bring around Diedrich and tie the game at one run apiece.
The co-op then took the lead in the fifth, using aggressive baserunning to once again produce a run. Noah Schraufnagel slapped a pitch back up the middle to give Abby-Colby a baserunner with one out. Pinch runner Jackson Snapp promptly stole second to set the table for Jaxon Polivka. Polivka delivered another timely hit for the co-op, running the count full before sending the sixth pitch of the at bat into center field. Snapp scored on the single, giving Abby-Colby a 2-1 advantage.
The Thunderbirds weren’t done yet, however, and they finally got to Diedrich in the top of sixth, putting on their first two batters and ending his day on the mound. Payton Schreiber came in relief for the co-op, but Lakeland’s lineup continued to roll. Three baserunners came in to score in the inning and the Thunderbirds added another insurance run in the top of the seventh to give themselves a three run advantage, a comfortable lead in such a low scoring affair. Abby-Colby threatened in the sixth but couldn’t push across pinch runner JV Castillo and a one-two-three bottom of the seventh sealed Lakeland’s victory.
Diedrich gave up two earned runs over five innings pitched but did not factor into the decision. Schreiber was saddled with the loss, tossing two innings and giving up three earned runs on two walks and three hits. The sophomore struck out three.
Bargender went 2-3 from the dish with an RBI double. Diedrich, Schraufnagel and Polivka all had one hit and Diedrich, Polivka and Snapp each had a stolen base. Castillo recorded three stolen bases as a pinch runner.
LOCKED IN -Brandon Diedrich unleashes a fastball in last Thursday’s game against Lakeland.
A JOB WELL DONE -Coach Brett Nelson congratulates Jaxon Polivka after the co-op’s centerfielder reached first base safely after a go-ahead RBI single.STAFF PHOTOS/NATHANIEL UNDERWOOD
BATTER UP -Mateo Lopez looks to level off on a pitch against Lakeland.STAFF PHOTO/NATHANIEL UNDERWOOD
