Hawks win a snoozer with 7-0 victory over Cardinals
By Dave Mast
April 18, 2011
308
Hiland coach Tom Gibson wants his players to be well-rested this season. He probably prefers that they did their napping at night rather than during the game.
In Hilands 7-0 shutout win over Sandy Valley on Monday, April 18, Hiland scored a lot early, but then managed just two hits over the final five innings, prompting the Hiland baseball coach to make a reference toward his teams effort following the big lead.
I think we sleep-walked through the game after the third inning, said Gibson. We had a chance to get more runs in the second and only got one, and we had a chance to tack on more in the third and didnt get any. We did hit the ball hard and made some plays, but it wasnt our best game.
Regardless, the Hawks continued their strong start to the spring baseball season, and did it much in the same manner they have all season long with pitching.
Grant Troyer and B.J. Miller combined to give up only four hits in the shutout, but control troubles did allow a number of Cardinals to reach base. But both hurlers managed to work their way out of trouble, and not a single Sandy Valley player managed to cross home plate.
Grant had a hard time finding it tonight, said Gibson. He had a tough first inning, but he did come back and battled and did a nice job. B.J. followed it up and did a really nice job.
Troyer gave up two walks in the first but escaped any damage by inducing a lazy fly ball to right field to end the threat.
Then after he singled to lead off the home half of the first, stole second, went to third on a ball and scored the games first run on a wild pitch, he sat back and watched his teammates go to work. Nicky Yoder walked, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch, and after Luke Burch struck out and Hayden Mobley walked, Miller singled home two runs to make it 3-0. Kenny Miller then reached on an error before Alex Schmucker smoked a two-run double. After a Kendall Wagler fly-out, Jalen Miller drove home Schmucker to complete the six-run first inning.
The Hawks manufactured the final run of the game in the second inning, when Burch walked, stole second and took third on a wild pitch, then scooted home on Mobleys RBI groundout.
Troyer hit a batter and gave up a single in the second but again escaped, got through the third quickly and gave up a double and single in the fourth before getting a huge strikeout to end the inning. He began the fifth by walking the first two hitters, and in stepped Miller, who stepped in and pitched very effectively for the Hawks.
In the win, Gibson said the Hawks didnt play up to their efforts in recent games, but with another fine pitching performance and a solid defensive effort again, he can live with his team going into cruise-control on offense after getting the big lead... for now.
Hiland collected seven hits, but five of those came in the first inning, as Hiland failed to put together any kind of sustained offensive attack after the first inning.
