Princeton tops Ottawa
|
| Brian Herr receives an enthusiastic greeting from his Princeton All-Star teammates before Tuesday’s District 20 tournament game in Spring Valley. Princeton beat Ottawa 5-2 and will face Peru at 6 p.m. Thursday in Spring Valley. (BCR photo/Chris Yucus) |
SPRING VALLEY — The Princeton Minor League All-Stars rallied in the top of the sixth inning to break open a 2-2 ball game, and held on in the bottom half of the frame to come out on top of Ottawa, 5-2, in District 20 American Division tournament play Tuesday.
With the score knotted up at two runs each, Princeton catcher Jacob Smith started the sixth inning off by drawing a walk. Following a Princeton strikeout, Christian Parry joined Smith on base after being issued another walk. Both runners advanced a base on a wild pitch from Ottawa reliever Trevor Przyblyski.
Following a pitching change, Princeton No. 9 hitter Brian Herr smacked a one-hopper that came up quick on Ottawa shortstop Sam Hettel. Hettel was able to field the ball, but his off balance throw missed first base. Both Princeton runners flew around the bases and touched home on the error, giving Princeton a 4-2 advantage.
Princeton added an insurance run moments later, when Drake Davis hit a single through the middle to score Herr and give his squad a 5-2 lead.
Davis, who picked up the win pitching in relief, went two innings on the mound and gave up two hits with no runs allowed and a pair of strikeouts.
Colby Robbins, who started on the rubber for Princeton, had a nice pitching effort as well, throwing 76 pitches over four innings of work with eight strikeouts, giving up two runs off of four hits.
Princeton manager Rod Wedekind was happy with the pitching efforts from both of his young hurlers.
“When you only give up two runs to what I would consider a good hitting team, and that’s really the only scoring opportunities they had, you have to tip your hat to two stellar outings from Colby and Drake,” Wedekind said. “They both did a good job and rose to the occasion.”
After the game both Robbins and Davis credited the support they received from their teammates throughout the game for their success.
“The help from my teammates really helped me out,” Davis said.
Princeton took an early lead in the second inning when Smith reached base on a single to left field. Garrett Allen followed up with a short blooper that dropped in the infield, and an Ottawa attempt at a tag at first base resulted in a bobbled ball that allowed special runner Josh Reinhardt, on the base paths for Smith, to swipe third.
Allen soon took off to steal second, and when Ottawa attempted to gun him down, Reinhardt took the opportunity to steal home, giving Princeton a 1-0 lead.
Davis, who finished 2-4 with an RBI at the plate, led off the third inning with a grounder single up the middle. The next batter, Jake Farraher, slapped a double to left field to drive home Davis and give Princeton a 2-0 lead, but he was thrown out at third trying to stretch his hit into a triple. Jett Wedekind followed with his first of two doubles on the evening, but Ottawa starter Ryan Vandervort was able to retire the next two batters to draw a halt on the Princeton rally.
Ottawa capitalized on a Princeton defensive miscue in the fourth when a long throw to third base from the outfield after a single from Pearce Kelley was mishandled by Davis, allowing Austin Girard to come in and score. Bryce Johnson’s single to right center field drove in Kelley to tie the game up at 2-2 after four innings of play.
Wedekind said that picking up the win in their first contest will be big help to Princeton in the double elimination format tournament.
“In a tournament like this, picking up the first win is huge,” said Princeton manager Rod Wedekind. “You get the the night off and a chance to rest.”
With the win Princeton is set to face Peru at 6 p.m. Thursday in Spring Valley. Peru topped Bi-County 10-5 in the early game Tuesday evening to pick up their second tournament win.
Comment on this story at www.bcrnews.com.
