Chris Caporale, sports@wolfrivermedia.com
Leader Photo by Chris Caporale Shawano Community High School’s Cole Nelson, back, chases down New London’s Austin Warner in the fifth inning. New London recorded four outs on the bases in a 1-0 loss to the Hawks.
Leader Photo by Chris Caporale Shawano Community High School shortstop Alex Hoffman dives back to first base on a pickoff attempt by New London. Hoffman was one of four players to reach base for the Hawks, who won Friday’s season opener, 1-0.
Shawano senior Dylan Sumnicht threw a complete game, holding visiting New London to six hits, as the Hawks won their season opening game, 1-0, at home Friday.
Sumnicht struck out eight batters and walked one over seven innings as New London only threatened in two frames.
“You don’t expect that to come out first game of the year,” Shawano head coach Rob Wolff said. “They started to hit him later on, but you know, our defense was solid.”
Shortstop Alex Hoffman gunned down New London’s Austin Hanson at home plate to end the fourth inning.
Senior catcher Kasey Kristof caught Dylan Moeller trying to steal second base in the fifth inning right after Austin Warner was picked off by Sumnicht.
In the seventh inning, a throw from center fielder Brett Ainsworth got Kyle Wolf out at third base with no outs on a Hanson single up the middle. New London’s Will Wohlt then hit into a fielder’s choice and Warner grounded to Sumnicht to end the game.
“This is the defense I thought we had, and on Game 1 to come out like this and look that solid is very impressive,” Wolff said. “Now my expectations are through the roof with how these guys play defense. I think we can be in every single ball game.”
“Shawano has a nice pitcher, and they are well-coached and they have a nice team,” New London head coach Tom Frederick said. “I thought with Will throwing, we had a chance to get the win there.”
Wolht held Shawano (1-0, 1-0 Bay Conference) to two hits and struck out 12 over six innings.
The Hawks capitalized on an error in the fifth inning to set up their only run against the Bulldogs (0-2, 0-1 Bay Conference).
Kristof hit a grounder to Wolf, New London’s shortstop, who sailed the throw to first base. Kristof advanced to second on the play and moved to third on sacrifice bunt by left fielder Joey Tadych. With the infield in, lefty Jacob Lacy hit a ball through the left half of the infield for the RBI.
“I just told him to look for a pitch to drive and to be aggressive and hit it hard,” Wolff said. “And he did.”
The Hawks had just four players reach base against Wolht, one of the top pitchers in the Bay Conference.
“We’ve got to wake up our bats,” Wolff said. “We’re not going to win a lot of ball games getting three hits, so we’ve got to get our hits up there, get more base runners on.”
Shawano’s game Monday against Clintonville has been canceled due to field conditions, giving the Hawks nearly a week off before facing Xavier at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at home.
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
New London 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 1
Shawano 0 0 0 0 1 0 x 1 2 1