Chris Caporale, sports@wolfrivermedia.com
Leader Photo by Chris Caporale Bonduel Legion first baseman Bennett Gunderson, shown awaiting a pick-off throw, had three RBIs at the plate in a 13-4 victory over Clintonville at home Monday.
Sparked by two bases-clearing doubles in a nine-run fifth inning, Bonduel downed visiting Clintonville, 13-4, Monday.
Clintonville starting pitcher Jaden Doornink, who allowed three runs through the first four innings, was charged with seven runs in the fifth inning.
“When he was doing his warm-up pitches, we didn’t see any curveballs out of him. ‘He’s going to come with a straight one. Jump on it. Hit it hard,’” Bonduel coach Jason Boldt said. “That’s what they did. It was good to see.”
Bennett Gunderson and Brent Pieper each doubled with the bases loaded for three RBIs apiece, and Josh Richter drove in the final run of the frame on a single to center.
Trailing 4-0 in the third inning, Bonduel’s offense, which hadn’t gotten a hit yet, got rolling with Jack Thiel’s two-out double to right field. Jordan Boldt drove in Thiel, and after walks to Travis Wollenberg and Bailey Dingeldein, Pieper singled to right field to cut the deficit to 1.
“You could just feel it in the dugout. The atmosphere just changed after Jack got on, and we got a couple of runs there that inning,” Jason Boldt said. “Things changed and got a big win tonight.”
Jordan Boldt, who took a little while to settle in on the mound, gave up four runs over the first three innings, but kept the Diamond Cats off the board over the final four innings.
He was able to minimize the damage in the second inning when Clintonville loaded the bases with one out. Boldt got Jordan Koeppen to ground out and then struck out Kaden Doornink to end the threat.
Zach Riemer and Kyle Finger provided RBI singles for Clintonville in the opening inning. In the third inning, Colton Kluth added a RBI and Aaron Morse hit a sacrifice fly.
Jaden Doornink allowed 11 hits and gave up 12 runs over 4 2/3 innings. He struck out two batters and walked five. In relief, Chad Bork allowed one earned run over 1 1/3 innings, including the double to Pieper, and did not record a walk or strikeout.
Jordan Boldt, who calmly fielded all three groundouts in the seventh inning, finished the game with five strikeouts and two walk. He gave up 10 hits and four earned runs.
“The first two or three innings, that was probably the first mound time he’s seen in two or three weeks,” Jason Boldt said. “Once he got his confidence there, he was a whole different pitcher — locating his curveball, moving his fastball around. That makes a big difference.”
Pieper, who made a diving catch to end the top of the fifth inning at third base, led Bonduel at the plate, pushing five runs across on two hits, and Gunderson added three RBIs on his one hit.
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Clintonville 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 4 10 1
Bonduel 0 0 3 0 9 1 x 13 14 1