Sweet Home JV Baseball Report
Sweet Home @ Elmira March 16, 2004
Linescore 1 2 3 4 5 6 R H E
Huskies 0 1 4 3 0 1 9 3 5
Elmira 3 3 0 7 0 X 13 7 4
Pitching
Sweet Home: Brett Miller, Adam Hummer (3), Kyle Pettit (5) and Joe Ellis
Elmira: Nygren, Colver (3) and Hicks
Hitting
Sweet Home: Tim Faulconer 2-2, 2B; Adam Hummer 1-2, 2RBI
Elmira: Conger 2-3, 2 2B; Nygren 2-3
Coach’s Comments
First-game jitters got to us against Elmira. We did come through with two big innings, but we missed some really great opportunities to hang up a half-dozen more runs. Elmira had played the day before and already gotten the opening day mistakes behind them, but we were right there until their big fourth inning.
Brett Miller did some good things on the mound for us. He kept it close enough for us to go ahead 7-6 in the fourth, but we couldn’t hold on to the lead. He left a few pitches up that got hit hard, but when he mixed his pitches, he was tough.
Tim Faulconer got off to a fast start. He hit the ball very hard twice, and took advantage of his speed to turn a single into a double. Joe Ellis also had two quality at-bats, but came up hitless and Nick Moore got on base twice and showed good speed and smarts on the bases.
In the end, we struck out too many times, and in key situations that stranded runners. We left the bases loaded twice, which really came back to bite us. I’d say it was a normal first-game performance. We were happy to get to work, but it just didn’t come out our way.
Record: Overall: 0-1; League: 0-0
Marist @ Sweet Home March 17, 2004
Linescore 1 2 3 4 5 6 R H E
Marist 0 3 5 1 0 5 14 16 2
Sweet Home 0 0 3 0 0 0 3 2 6
Pitching
Marist: Vitus, Barrett (5) and Hedge
Sweet Home: Skyler Bascom, Robby Wallace (3), Kyle Aubert (6) and Joe Ellis
Hitting
Marist: Barrett 4-5, HR, 4RBI; Perkins 2-4, HR, 3RBI
Sweet Home: Matt Morneault 1-2; Adam Hummer 1-3, 1RBI
Coach’s Comments
Marist certainly brought the big sticks with them. They hit the ball hard today, all up and down the lineup. You might expect a number-three hitter like Barrett to hit one out, but Perkins was batting ninth. Those two home runs made all the difference, too. They took away momentum we had built and left us too far behind.
We struggled with their pitching. We struck out 12 times, which just killed us, because we also had eight walks. When we didn’t put the ball in play, we were stranding runners all over the place.
Skyler Bascom threw the ball hard and challenged hitters. He had a solid start and we are happy with his aggressiveness on the mound. He needs to continue to work on his command of all three pitches so he can get himself out of tough spots, but he’s a hard worker and heal get it down.
Robby Wallace also challenged hitters. He got a few fastballs up in the zone and Marist hitters jumped on them, but he showed good potential. He’s a great, big bundle of energy on the mound and his size and delivery can intimidate hitters.
Joe Ellis had another solid day behind the plate, handing all three pitchers. He is an advantage defensively. He knows the position well, and when he gets a chance, he will cut down base stealers, too. He got one today.
Record-Overall: 0-2; League: 0-0.
Newport @ Sweet Home Game 1 March 20, 2004
Linescore 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Newport 0 1 2 0 1 6 0 10 6 0
Huskies 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 4 6
Pitching
Newport: McCallister and Ross
Sweet Home: Kyle Aubert , Robby Wallace (6) and Joe Ellis
Hitting
Newport: Downing 2-4, Burns 1-3; Faxon 1-4
Sweet Home: Tim Faulconer 3-3, 1RBI; Adam Hummer 1-3, 2B, 1RBI
Coach’s Comments
Newport is always a good measuring stick. They consistently have a strong program at all levels, and we can learn a lot about ourselves from the way we perform against them.
They got a very strong outing from McCallister. He kept us off base and we really never posed a threat until it was too late. He always seemed to get the key strikeout when he needed it, and we couldn’t come up with the timely hit to shake him up.
Tim Faulconer continued his solid play. He racked up three more hits and did a good job in left field today. Adam Hummer has been all over the infield so far, and he is becoming a valuable presence in the lineup.
I was encouraged by Kyle Abates performance on the mound. Until he ran out of gas in the sixth, he did a great job of avoiding the big inning. He adjusted well to game conditions in his first start, and he will get the ball frequently this season. We committed too many mistakes defensively, and that forced him to throw more pitches than we would have liked. Newport is going to get you in situations like that.
Record-Overall: 0-3; League: 0-0
Newport @ Sweet Home Game 2 March 20, 2004
Linescore 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10RHE
Newport 0 0 1 3 0 1 2 0 0 0 7 7 5
Huskies 3 1 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 1 8 8 8
Pitching
Newport: Bond, Downing (8) and Chandler
Sweet Home: Kyle Pettit, Adam Hummer (9) and Joe Ellis, Chris Looney, Ellis (9)
Hitting
Newport: Downing 2-4, Burns 1-3; Faxon 1-4
Sweet Home: Jason Berg 2-4, 2RBI; Matt Morneault 2-3; Joe Ellis 1-3, 2RBI; Nick Moore 2-4, 1RBI
Coach’s Comments
The second half of the doubleheader was just the remedy for our three-game skid to start the season. We had to come from behind in the seventh to force extra innings, and then rallied for the win in the tenth. It was an emotional win for us, and to get a clutch win against Newport is even better.
We controlled the game early and were leading 6-4 in the fifth. I think we relaxed a bit and lost some energy. In the seventh, we made a few crucial mistakes to allow them to score twice and go ahead.
In the bottom of the seventh, Trevor Tagle got hit by a pitch to reach first. Nick Moore pinch-ran for him and stole second. Tim Faulconer hit a shot that handcuffed the shortstop. Moore’s got great wheels, and he didn’t even hesitate rounding third. Faulconer stayed in a rundown long enough for Moore to score and that tied it up and gave us new life.
Kyle Pettit had a very good start and he got better as the game went on. He mowed through the lineup in the eighth, but his pitch count was getting up there and we wanted to give them another look, so Adam Hummer came in to finish. He was very sharp and kept them out of it until we had a chance to win it.
In the tenth, Faulconer reached on an error. Matt Morneault laid down a perfect bunt and ended up getting a base hit out of it. Morneault stole second and we had three shots to score. It’s a good thing, too, because we needed two of them. Faulconer was called out at the plate for not sliding on a grounder by Joe Ellis.
That call really energized us. Jason Berg came right back with a single to right to end the game and give us a huge lift. We needed a victory, and to get it in our last at-bat will help us down the road in other close games. You can simulate it in practice, but its never the same as game conditions.
Record-Overall: 1-3; League: 0-0.