Run-rule victory in Game 2 lifts EHS to split with Topeka West
By Michael Ashford
Saturday, April 5, 2008
The Emporia High baseball team believed it let a victory slip away in the first game of Friday night’s home doubleheader against Topeka West.
The Spartans made sure there was no chance of that happening twice with their performance in Game Two.
After dropping a 7-4 decision in extra innings in Game One — a game in which EHS led by one run heading into the seventh inning — the Spartans run-ruled the Chargers in the second game, 12-1, behind a nine-run first inning.
“We probably should have won both of these games,” said Michael Knight, who picked up the victory on the mound in Game Two, “but we got off to a slow start in the first game. If we pick that up, we get that game too. When we get off to a good start like we did in the second game, we’re a good team.”
Emporia (1-3) couldn’t have asked for a much better start than what it got in Game Two.
Though the Spartans fell behind early, 1-0, after West plated a single run in its half of the first inning, EHS took advantage of the Chargers’ shaky pitching to rebound in a big way, scoring nine runs on just three hits. Two EHS batters were hit by pitches and another three drew walks, while West committed two errors to aid Emporia’s cause.
Emporia tied the score when leadoff hitter Derek Nielsen was hit by the first pitch of the game, moved to second on Josh Maguire’s bunt single and then advanced to third on a fielder’s choice by Corey Bacon before scoring on a throwing error by West catcher Tyler Pruitt, who’s throw to second on a steal attempt by Bacon sailed into the outfield.
A sacrifice fly from Knight allowed Bacon to score, giving EHS the lead at 2-1 with two outs.
But the inning was far from over.
Emporia scored another seven runs in the frame, with the highlight being a bases-loaded triple to right-center by Maguire in his second at-bat of the inning that made it 8-1.
“It’s a domino effect,” Maguire said of Emporia’s offense in Game Two. “Once one person gets it going, it’s easier for everybody to do it, and everyone does their job.”
Maguire scored the final run of the inning for EHS on a wild pitch, giving the Spartans a 9-1 edge.
“It was nice to see us do some of the things that the guys have been working on,” EHS coach Mike Strickland said. “We got some hits, we got some guys bunting, we moved runners up like we should and we got some things done like we should have. That’s really nice to see.”
The lead was more than enough of a cushion for Knight, who went all five innings, scattering three hits and striking out three while allowing just one batter to get past second base in the final four innings.
“I felt really comfortable,” Knight said. “I knew the guys were going to back me up. I was just out there trying to throw strikes and get ground balls.
“I wasn’t looking to overpower anyone. I was working my fastball and hitting my locations, and I was keeping it low and not letting them drive it where they like it.”
EHS scored a single run in the third when West pitcher Andy Mariani gave up four consecutive walks to start the inning, allowing Brett Lechien to score. After the Spartans got a pair of runs across in the fourth to make it 12-1, the Spartans invoked the run-rule and picked up their first win of the season by holding West scoreless in the fifth.
Maguire led the offense in Game Two, going 3-for-3 with a walk and 4 RBI to go with a run scored, while Brett Lechien drew three walks, with all three leading to runs.
The victory in Game Two had the Spartans wondering “what-if?” after seeing a late-inning lead trickle away before the wheels came off in Game One.
The Spartans held a 2-1 lead in what was supposed to be the seventh and final inning, but a leadoff walk to West’s Nick Scott eventually doomed EHS, as three Emporia errors in the frame allowed Scott to score the game-tying run to send it to extra innings.
West then struck for five runs in its half of the eighth, with a 2-RBI double by Mariani that made it 5-2 seemingly being the backbreaker for EHS.
The Spartans came back with two runs in their half of the inning and even had the bases loaded, but could not draw any closer.
The loss stained an otherwise impressive outing for Emporia starter Jacob Loucks, who went 7 2/3 innings — striking out eight — and looked solid until things fell apart late.
“Jacob’s had two great outings where he’s pitched really well, and we haven’t picked up wins for him,” Strickland said. “We’re just not hitting behind him and we’re not playing defense behind him. That hurts us, because in the first game, we didn’t hit behind him in the first three or four innings and we didn’t play good enough defense.”
Loucks led the offense in Game Two, going 1-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored.
EHS is back in action next Friday with a home doubleheader against Topeka High.
Game One
Topeka West 7, Emporia 4
Topeka West 001 000 15 — 7 11 2
Emporia 000 200 02 — 4 6 4
TW: Dalton Sweezey, Phillip Miller (8) and Tegan Seitz (8); and Tyler Pruitt. Emporia: Jacob Loucks and Corey Bacon (8); and Harrison Stone. W — Seitz. L — Loucks. 2B — TW: Andy Mariani.
Game Two
Emporia 12, Topeka West 1
Topeka West 100 00 — 1 3 2
Emporia 901 2X — 12 6 2
TW: Miller, Seitz (1), Mariani (2) and Scott (3); and Pruitt. Emporia: Michael Knight; and Stone. 3B — Emporia: Josh Maguire.