‘Jekyll and Hyde’
Emporia AAAs split with Ottawa, continue streak of inconsistency
By Jesse Newell
Monday, June 18, 2007
It was hard for the Emporia AAAs to enjoy either of their victories over the weekend.
That’s because, after giving dominating performances in their Game Ones, the AAAs struggled mightily in their Game Twos.
The trend continued Sunday, as Emporia knocked off Ottawa 10-1 in five innings before getting beat 11-2 in six innings in the nightcap.
“When you run-rule a team at home, you can’t come out in the second game and look like that,” Emporia designated hitter Cole Armitage said.
It was the same pattern that took place on the road Saturday, as the AAAs beat Topeka 7-2 before losing 8-1.
“We don’t have that killer instinct,” Emporia coach Ryan Oden said. “The guys get satisfied when they win the first one, then they don’t put the next one in the book. It just baffles me right now.”
The AAAs rolled in their first game Sunday, starting the bats early and giving plenty of support to starter Jared Krause.
Emporia scored three in the first, as Alex Reyes and Jonathan Hrabik both contributed RBI singles.
The AAAs added four more in the second. Adam Tebben and Brandon Little started the rally with one-out singles, and Taylor Clark drove them both in with a double.
Reyes contributed a run-scoring single, and Armitage capped it with an RBI double to make the score 7-0.
“We had a better approach at the plate than in the second game,” Armitage said. “We all had something we wanted to do up there.”
Armitage later ended the game himself in the fifth.
With Reyes at first and Emporia up 8-1, Armitage unloaded on a Jake Moore fastball.
“He grooved it right down the middle,” Armitage said, “and I just took advantage.”
The blast ended up in the trees over the centerfield fence for a two-run homer that enforced the run-rule.
Krause went the distance for the win, allowing three hits and a single run.
Emporia showed few signs of its first-game success in Game Two.
The AAAs mustered just four hits, struggling against Ottawa’s Curtis Clayton.
“We need to see pitches better,” Oden said. “I’m a very aggressive guy, but I can’t do a lot without runners on.
“We need to be aggressive early in the count. Our guys are looking at too many fastballs on the first pitch.”
Meanwhile, Emporia’s pitchers allowed 12 Ottawa singles and the defense committed four errors behind them.
“We’re Jekyll and Hyde right now,” Oden said, “but when we figure it out, we’re going to be a team to reckon with.”
Krause provided almost all the offense in Game Two for Emporia, going 3-for-3 with two runs scored and a stolen base.
Little had the only other hit.
In Saturday’s games, Tebben took the win in Game One, while Hrabik picked up the loss in the nightcap.
Emporia will play at home again at 6 tonight, taking on Newton at Soden’s Grove.
Oden said his team needed to continue to build up confidence that it already should have.
“These guys are good enough — they just don’t believe it,” Oden said. “I think me and the two other coaches are the only ones that believe it.”
Sunday at Emporia
Game One
Emporia 10, Ottawa 1
Ottawa 000 10X X — 1 3 3
Emporia AAAs 340 03X X — 10 9 2
W — Jared Krause. L — Jake Moore.
2B — Emporia: Taylor Clark, Cole Armitage. HR — Emporia: Cole Armitage. SB — Emporia: Ottawa: Jordan Miller; Emporia: Taylor Clark.
Emporia AAA highlights — Cole Armitage 2-3, HR, 2B, 3 RBI, 2R; Taylor Clark 2-2, 2B, 2R, RBI, BB, SB; Alex Reyes 2-3, 3 RBI, 3R.
Game Two
Ottawa 11, Emporia 2
Ottawa 020 135 X — 11 12 2
Emporia AAAs 100 001 X — 2 4 4
W — Curtis Clayton. L — Alex Reyes.
SB — Emporia: Jared Krause.
Emporia AAA highlights — Jared Krause 3-3, 2R, SB; Brandon Little 1-2.