Wednesday, June 9, 2004

Pitchers give Legion an opening boost

Wood River sweeps Running Rebels

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Pitching was supposed to be one of the strengths of the Wood River American Legion "A" baseball team this summer—and Saturday’s season-opening doubleheader sweep of Pocatello was a prime example.

Coach Eli Lloyd’s Wolverines (2-0, 2-0 Area C) opened their 36-game summer baseball season with a 3-2 and 19-3 doubleheader sweep of the visiting Pocatello Running Rebels at Founders Field in Hailey.

In the opening game, shortstop Morgan Uhrig drove home the game-winning run with a bases-loaded single in the home seventh to make a winner out of righthander Steve Hansen (1-0), who pitched two-and-two-thirds innings of one-hit relief.

Hansen took over for starting pitcher Kenny Cardona when Pocatello threatened in the fifth and scored two runs for a 2-2 tie. With the go-ahead run in scoring position, Hansen whiffed the #1 and #2 Pocatello batters. Hansen fanned six of the nine batters he faced.

Coach Lloyd said, "Kenny pitched real well. He just couldn’t close the deal." Cardona, a righty, allowed only three hits in four-and-a-third innings and 76 pitches. He struck out seven and walked three Running Rebel batters.

Wood River’s offense wasn’t exactly clicking on all cylinders in the opener.

Center fielder Jonathan Dittmer singled to lead off the game and scored on a passed ball. In the second, Kyle Lubeck walked, advanced on a passed ball and a balk, then stole home for a 2-0 Wood River lead on a botched squeeze play.

After the first inning, the Wolverines were held hitless until J.D. Hill’s bunt attempt flew over the third baseman’s head for an infield single in the seventh. The hit advanced Dylan Fullmer to second. Dittmer walked the bases full. Uhrig plated Fullmer for the winner.

In the five-inning nightcap, Tyson Reynoso (1-0) tossed four innings of three-hit ball. He whiffed five Rebels and walked just one. Huston Brashears mopped up in the visitor fifth.

Leadoff hitter Uhrig went 5-for-5 with a stolen base in the nightcap, giving him three base thefts for the day. Second baseman Brady Femling added two hits, as did Fullmer. Derek Abbott drilled a two-run triple and Tyler Thiede had a double.

Wood River capitalized on several walks to blow the game open with eight runs in the second inning and went on to record the 19-3 run-rule victory.

The Wolverines traveled to Buhl Tuesday for an important Area C twinbill, then Wood River goes to Shelley for two more games Friday, June 11. Coach Lloyd said that postponed games against Jerome June 2 and Madison June 12 will be rescheduled at home.

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