Thursday, July 2, 2009 10:03 AM CDT
Massengill leads Toledo; Stew-Stras notches win
By MIKE MONAHAN, Staff Writer
mmonahan@jg-tc.com
MATTOON -- The first day of the Senior American Legion Baseball Firecracker Classic at Mattoon High School saw only one contest go the full seven innings as the other two were deiced by the eight-run rule (after five innings). Teutopolis Post 924 scored four runs in the sixth inning in a 6-1 victory over Paris Post 211 in a Pool B game. In Pool C, Stewardson-Strasburg Post 611-289 topped the Central Illinois Chiefs, 11-3. The Chiefs are a junior Legion team filling in for Olney, which withdrew. In another Pool B contest Toledo Post 724 had 14 runs on 16 hits to bounce back after losing 3-2 earlier in the day to Macon County Post 105. Post 724 won 14-6 over Teutopolis.
Toledo 14, Teutopolis 6
Extra batting practice and a meeting after the first half inning helped Toledo improve to 1-1 in the tournament.
“We had three errors (in the first inning) and had not fully recovered from the first game,” said Cumberland coach Jim Miller. “I called them in and said ‘Let’s focus here. The first game is over. It was a good game. We just didn’t come out on the right end. Focus now.’
The Toledo players, which has members from six different high schools, took a lead it would not relinquish in the second inning, one that saw Post 724 sent 10 to the plate and score six runs on seven hits, including a two-run double to left by Neoga’s Austin Robinson. Toledo also took advantage of two hit by pitches and the first six batters all scored.
After Teutopolis made it 6-2 when Jordan Roepke walked, forcing in Jeff Bloemer, Toledo took control with four runs in the third, including three on a double to left by Jared Massengill, who is headed to Lake Land. Massengill finished the game 4-for-4 with four runs batted in.
“I had one hit in the first game,” said Massengill, who helped Neoga to a Class 1A regional championship batting an area leading .512. “I am hitting in the three hold for a reason. I started getting hits and driving more runs for our team. That is what the coach is looking for and that is what I decided to start doing. Batting practice helped get my form down again.”
In the fifth Robinson led off with a ground rule double as the ball bounced over the fence in left-center field. Zach Purcell grounded out as Robinson moved to third. Blake Kuhl of Dieterich singled on a full-count pitch, scoring Robinson. Casey-Westfield graduate Taylor Biggs, who is headed to Parkland, singled up the middle. Massengill singled to center, scoring Kuhl and with two outs Nick Wendling (Dieterich) drove in two runs with a double to center.
“There is a good reason we have been taking extra batting practice for this tournament,” said Miller, whose team improved to 14-11 overall. “Extra BP helped. They were hitting shots in this game.”
Massengill had allowed four hits until the sixth when Post 924 nearly forced a sixth inning scoring four runs.
“When we get the lead we tend to relax,” said Miller. “They were thinking, ‘Hey, this is in the book’, but you have to worry about the tiebreaker, especially when you are in this type of tournament and that is what I was so upset with. We have to focus, catch the ball, throw the ball and we will be fine.”
Derek Repking doubled to left-center to start the fifth and with one out Kyle Zerrusen singled to center, driving in Repking. Clinton Lustig singled to left, Lance Niebrugge reached on a fielder’s choice and two runs scored on two different wild pitches before Massengill ended the game on a full-count strike looking.
Stewardson-Strasburg 11,
Central Illinois Chiefs 3
Eastern Illinois Universities baseball coach Jim Schmitz, coming off a 36-14 season, was in attendance and Stew-Stras senior to be Jaden Widdersheim didn’t disappoint Schmitz as he cranked a three-run homer in a six-run third inning as Stew-Stras, 15-8, grabbed control with a 7-1 advantage.
“He has done that quite a bit for us this year,” said Stew-Stras coach Frank Brandt. “He has come through in clutch situations and has been really good for us.”
Central Illinois scored first when Bryn Price was hit by a pitch and Cole Ohnesorge singled to left on a hit and run. Price scored on a double play, one of four turned in the contest.
After tying the game in the second the third frame began with a back-to-back walks to Brian Tucker of Windsor, who was facing his high school teammates (Kyle Floyd, Ryne Floyd and Andy Cole) and Clayton Brandt. Widdersheim’s blast was on an 0-1 pitch. Brian Suckow of Altamont, who is to be a senior and was the winning pitcher, singled to left and Austin Miley greeting a new pitcher with a single to right. Luke Rincker singled to center, driving in a run. Luke Levitt singled to left and with one out Justin Mechling drove in a run the hard way, by being hit by a pitch. Brandt drove in the last run on an infield single.
“It is always nice to get one win under our belt,” said Brandt. “Central Illinois is a good team. The third inning helped ease things for us. Brian Suckow threw a real good game for us.”
Suckow allowed just five hits with five strikeouts.
“I struggled with the curveball early, but got it going and once we got the lead I started cruising from there,” said Suckow, who also had three singles. “I didn’t want to fall behind in the count (offensively) so I jumped on the fastball as early as I could.”
Miley and Levitt, two Stew-Stras players, played for the Chiefs last year.
“They called us at the last minute and wanted to know if we would want to fill the spot and we said sure because our kids just love playing baseball,” said Central Illinois coach Tony Price. “We will be thin on our pitching for the tournament, but we told the boys to come out here and have some fun. You never know what will happen in baseball games. Stew-Stras has a solid ball club. I thought we actually ht the ball decently. We walked too may guys in the beginning of the game (six walks in two innings).”
Teutopolis 6, Paris 1
Teutopolis scored two runs in the first on a two-outs double by Bushur and Tony Zerrusen held Paris to only one run (third inning) with eight strikeouts and two walks.
Post 924 tacked on four runs in the sixth to give them some breathing room. Tony Zerrusen led off with a single and with one out Kyle Zerrusen singled to left and Andy Hardiek walked. Niebrugge drove in two runs with a single to left and a bases loaded walk to Roepke forced in a run before Repking drove in the final run with an infield single.
Tony Zerrusen, who is to play at Lake Land, allowed just six hits in the game and Paris, 4-9, had just two runners left on in scoring position.
Game one
Teutopolis 200 004 0 —6-8-2
Paris 001 000 0 —1-6-1
Winning pitcher: Tony Zerrusen 7 innings, 6 hits, 1 run, 2 walks, 8 strikeouts
Losing pitcher: Clay Bess 7 innings, 8 hits, 6 runs, 8 walks, 3 strikeouts
TEUTOPOLIS: Ryan Pruemer single; Jordan Roepke run, RBI; Derek Repking two singles, run, RBI; Tony Zerrusen single, run; Levi Bushur double, single, 2 RBIs; Kyle Zerrusen single, run; Lance Neibrugge 2 singles, run, sacrifice, 2 RBIs; Damon Hoene run
PARIS: Brent Mulvihill 2 singles; John Dayton single; Zach Walls single; Devin Neibarger single; Ethan Mason run
Game two
Stew-Stras 016 31 —11-13-2
Central Illinois 100 20 —3-5-1
Winning pitcher: Brian Suckow 5 innings, 5 hits, 3 runs, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts
Losing pitcher: Jaton McMechan 2 innings, 2 hits, 5 runs, 6 walks, 1 strikeout; Nate Holmes 3 innings, 11 hits, 6 runs, 5 earned, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts
STEW-STRAS: Brian Tucker run; Clayton Brandt 2 singles; Gabe Wascher 2 runs; Jaden Widdersheim home run, run, 3 RBIs; Suckow 3 singles; Lantz Corbett 2 runs; Austin Miley 3 singles, 3 runs, RBI; Luke Rincker 2 singles, 2 runs, stolen base, 2 RBIs; Kyle Helmuth RBI; Justin Mechling single, 3 RBIs
CENTRAL ILLINOIS: Bryn Price run; Cole Ohnsorge 2 singles; Holmes run; Colin Miller double, run, RBI; Dalton McFarland single; Tyler Pikowski double, RBI
Game three
Toledo 064 04 —14-16-4
Teutopolis 110 04 —6-7-1
Winning pitcher: Jared Massengill (4-1) 5 innings, 7 hits, 6 runs, 4 earned, 2 walks, 7 strikeouts
Losing pitcher: Derek Repking 5 innings, 16 hits, 14 runs, 10 earned, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts
TOLEDO: Blake Kuhl 2 singles, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Taylor Biggs 3 singles, 3 runs, 2 RBIs; Massengill 3 singles, double, 4 RBIs; Cody Ashworth run; Trey Ryan single, RBI; Nick Wendling double, single, run, 2 RBIs; Clayton Murphy double, run; Tyler Szatkowski single, 2 runs; Austin Robinson 2 doubles, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Zach Purcell 2 runs
TEUTOPOLIS: Jordan Roepke RBI; Derek Repking double, 2 runs; Tony Zerrusen single; Kyle Zerrusen single, run, RBI; Clint Lustig 3 singles, run; Lance Niebrugge stolen base, run; Jeff Bloemer run; Damon Hoene single
Contact Mike Monahan at mmonahan@jg-tc.com or 238-6854.
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