Mikes’ bats come alive in 12-3 win over Rockets
Carmichaels coach Dickie Krause congratulates the Mikes鈥� Liam Lohr after he hit a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning in Tuesday蘑菇视频 Section 1-A game against Jefferson-Morgan at Carmichaels.
The ball flies off the bat of Jefferson-Morgan蘑菇视频 Jaymison Robinson for a bunt single in the top of the first inning in Tuesday蘑菇视频 Section 1-A game at Carmichaels. (Photos by Jim Downey)
Jim Downey | 蘑菇视频
Carmichaels鈥� Patrick Holaren throws a pitch in the bottom of the first inning in Tuesday蘑菇视频 Section 1-A game against Jefferson-Morgan at Carmichaels.
Jefferson-Morgan's Brock Bayles delivers a pitch in the bottom of the second inning in Tuesday's Section 1-A game at Carmichaels.
Jim Downey | 蘑菇视频
Carmichaels鈥� Nathan Beringo slides into second for a stolen base as Jefferson-Morgan second baseman Grant Hathaway as shortstop J.T. Rice backs up the play in the bottom of the fourth inning in Tuesday蘑菇视频 Section 1-A game at Carmichaels.
Carmichaels shortstop Liam Lohr throws to first for the out on Jefferson-Morgan蘑菇视频 Brody Ross in the top of the fourth inning in Tuesday蘑菇视频 Section 1-A game at Carmichaels. (Photo by Jim Downey)
Jefferson-Morgan's Brenton Barnhart hits into a force play with Carmichaels catcher Jacob Fordyce keeping an eye on the ball in the top of the second in Tuesday's Section 1-A game at Carmichaels.
Jefferson-Morgan starting pitcher Brock Bayles strides to the plate to deliver a pitch in the bottom of the first inning of Tuesday's Section 1-A game at Carmichaels.
CARMICHAELS 鈥� The first game of the Section 1-A series between Jefferson-Morgan and Carmichaels on March 27 produced a combined three runs and seven hits.
The second game of the home-and-home series on March 28 at Carmichaels had a different outcome with the Mikes belting out 13 hits for a 12-3 victory against the visiting Rockets.
Carmichaels (2-0, 3-0) came out of the gate strong with three runs in its first at-bat after two outs.
The early rally started when Liam Lohr belted a solo home run over the center field fence.
Jacob Fordyce and Mason Lapana followed with singles, and Tyler Richmond walked to load the bases. Courtesy runner Dayton Reynolds hustled home on a wild pitch and Aydan Adamson singled home the third run.
The Rockets (0-2, 1-2) quickly responded with three runs in the top of the second inning.
Drew Adams opened the inning with a single. Collin Bisceglia hustled down the line for a one-out infield single.
Grant Hathaway singled home Adams. Bisceglia came home on Brenton Barnhart蘑菇视频 fielder蘑菇视频 choice. The final run scored on an infield error.
Carmichaels broke the game open with four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Lohr and Fordyce walked to start the inning. Lapana singled home Lohr and both runners advanced a base when the throw home sailed wide of the plate.
Lapana paced the Mikes with three hits, two RBI and two runs scored.
Aydan Adamson singled home two runs and Peyton Schooley did the same two batters later. Adamson finished with two hits and drove in three runs.
The Mikes pieced together two runs on two hits in the fifth inning, including Lapana蘑菇视频 RBI single, and two errors.
Carmichaels flirted with the 10-run mercy rule with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Once again, the Mikes had two hits and the visitors had two errors.
Lohr hit a sacrifice fly for the first run.
Carmichaels was aided by six Jefferson-Morgan errors. The Mikes committed three errors.
鈥淚t蘑菇视频 fundamentals that let us down today. We need to catch the ball and make the plays,鈥� said Jefferson-Morgan coach John Curtis.
鈥淲e have to get better defensively,鈥� said Carmichaels coach Dickie Krause. 鈥淲e know we鈥檙e a work in progress. We have some things we have to correct, so we鈥檙e going day-by-day to get better.鈥�
The Rockets lost the first game against the Mikes, 3-0.
鈥淲e have to do it for seven innings, though. We鈥檙e inexperienced. We鈥檙e growing,鈥� said Curtis. 鈥� We have to take the circumstances, the outcomes, as we grow.鈥�
Winning pitcher Patrick Holaren held the Rockets to five hits in six innings of work. The right-hander struck out nine and walked just one.
鈥淗ere蘑菇视频 what蘑菇视频 been good, the pitching. We鈥檝e had three really good starts in a row. We鈥檝e used a reliever in all three games, and that kid蘑菇视频 thrown strikes, so I鈥檓 real happy with that,鈥� said Krause. 鈥淲e鈥檙e all underclassmen in the pitching staff.
鈥淲e had five seniors last year that carried the load.鈥�
Jefferson-Morgan starter Brock Bayles went four innings, allowing eight runs (four earned) with five walks and three strikeouts.
Both teams are young, and both coaches understand what that means as the season pushes along.
鈥淲e have good kids and they鈥檙e growing. We鈥檙e happy with their progress. The outcome probably won鈥檛 be 鈥榃s鈥�, but it蘑菇视频 going to be their individual improvement,鈥� explained Curtis. 鈥淚t蘑菇视频 going to be game to game.
鈥淭here蘑菇视频 a lot of things they don鈥檛 know and understand. We鈥檙e learning it as we play, as we go.鈥�
Curtis detailed just how young his squad is.
鈥淲e start five, six ninth graders. I鈥檓 not making excuses. They鈥檙e young guys,鈥� said Curtis, adding, 鈥淚鈥檓 happy with our progress. I鈥檓 happy with our kids. We have to clean it up a little bit.鈥�
The Mikes also are inexperienced with the departure of five key seniors.
鈥淭he first three hitters in our lineup were seniors. They really set the tempo,鈥� explained Krause. 鈥淲e really only have three or four kids back from that team that played significant time.
鈥淲e鈥檙e inexperienced and it shows it at times. We have a lot of work to do. We know that.鈥�
Krause added, 鈥淚t will come. One observation we鈥檝e made on these kids, their baseball understanding is not where it should be. It has to be much improved. We鈥檙e trying to work with them.
鈥淐an鈥檛 fault them for working hard.鈥�