PULASKI – When a high school baseball game takes an hour and 20 minutes to complete, you know there was good pitching and defense and baserunners were at a premium.
Such was the case in the Pulaski Red Raiders’ nonconference game against Kaukauna on Saturday, May 17, at Bob Van Lannen Field in Pulaski.
With a 9 a.m. start time, the Red Raiders got good pitching from a pair of seniors and played sound defense, but they could only muster three hits in a 2-1 loss to the Galloping Ghosts.
Throw in two hit by pitches and three walks, and Pulaski (12-8) managed only eight baserunners the entire game.
“When you play an FVA (Fox Valley Association) team, you’ve got to take advantage of your opportunities,” Pulaski Coach Tate McMillan said. “Both teams had good pitching and defense, but we just couldn’t take advantage of our limited opportunities.”
After the Ghosts went up 1-0 in the top of the first inning on an unearned run off starting pitcher Logan Brabant, the Red Raiders tied things up in the bottom of the frame.
Bryce Wotruba walked, eventually stole third base and was plated on an RBI single down the left-field line by Michael Molthen.
That was to be the Red Raiders' only run of the game.
Pulaski’s best chance to jump ahead came in the fourth inning when Jake Fredrickson led off with a single before Hunter Money drew a walk to put runners on first and second with nobody out.
A failed sacrifice bunt attempt, a flyout and a force out at third base on a groundball ended the frame.
“That was definitely our best chance, but we didn’t execute there,” McMillan said. “I don’t care as much that we only had three hits – I want runs. When you pitch well and play good defense, offensively, sometimes you don’t need a ton of hits. If we had executed the sacrifice bunt, the fly ball would have tied the game.”
The Ghosts had jumped ahead 2-1 in the top of the fourth inning on an RBI groundout.
Pulaski also had two runners on base in the third with one out, but a double play ended the inning.
Gavin Sikorski had a two-out single in the seventh inning, but was stranded at first to end the game.
Brabant went four innings and gave up one earned run on four hits.
Lefty Jace Olson came on in relief in the fifth inning and gave up only one hit.
“Logan and Jace pitched great today,” McMillan said. “Pitching and defense have been our forte all season. That was Jace’s first time coming out of the bullpen all season, but he did great.”
The Red Raiders committed the lone error of the game in the first inning.
Kaukauna (10-9) had five hits on the day.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here