Chris Caporale, sports@wolfrivermedia.com
Leader Photo by Chris Caporale Gresham Community School senior Beau Hoffman slides past Menominee Indian senior Ty Latender’s tag to score the first run of Gresham’s 6-1 victory Monday.
Leader Photo by Chris Caporale Gresham Community School freshman Justice Paiser throws to first base during the Wildcats’ 6-1 victory Monday over Menominee Indian.
On five different occasions, Gresham players were thrown out on the basepaths during Monday’s season-opening matchup with Menominee Indian.
The Wildcats overcame the mistakes, however, and scored four runs in the fifth inning en route to a 6-1 victory.
“It’s early in the season. You’re going to get some of that,” Gresham head coach Scott Cerveny said. “That will all work itself out. We’ll get better at that.”
Junior leadoff hitter Neal Cerveny started the fifth with a double, his third hit of the game, before advancing on a wild pitch. Sophomore Drew Haffner drew a walk before the Wildcats pulled off first-third steal to bring home Cerveny.
The Eagles made the switch from senior Ty Latender to Nick Corn on the mound, but it did not make much of a difference.
Haffner got to third on a wild pitch, Ray Creapeau drew a walk and then Gresham pulled of the same double steal to take a 4-1 lead.
Derek Bowman doubled down the left field line to score Creapeau and scored on a single by freshman Justice Paiser.
“The happiest thing is pretty disciplined at the plate. Kids weren’t swinging at balls,” Scott Cerveny said. “All in all, pretty happy seeing that.”
Gresham senior Beau Hoffman scored the game’s opening run on a wild pitch, barely beating the tag from Latender.
The Wildcats doubled the lead when Haffner scored on a fielder’s choice by Bowman in the third inning.
In the top of the fifth inning, Corn tightened up the game with an RBI single that scored first baseman Evan Munoz to pull within one, 2-1.
Latender pitched four innings, giving up four hits and two runs before Corn replaced him with two runners on in the fifth inning. Corn would be charged for two earned runs in two innings of work.
“Even defensively as a pitcher or as a position player, you have to go out and compete,” Menominee Indian head coach Mike Waupoose said. “There’s no sense in going up 0-2 or 1-2, and then not competing or throwing something where the hitter wins. We have to do a better job of that. I have to do a better job of preparing my players so they are ready for it.”
Bowman pitched six innings for the Wildcats, striking out seven and walking two before Creapeau entered the game in relief to seal the game.