By Morgan Rode sports@newmedia-wi.com
Leader Photo by Morgan Rode Clintonville’s Klay Barkow, right, takes a swing at a pitch in front of Marion/Tigerton catcher Cayden Schoen during Thursday’s Legion baseball game in Marion.
Leader Photo by Morgan Rode Marion/Tigerton’s Izaiah Hidde looks upward to locate a foul popup during Thursday’s Legion baseball game against Clintonville in Marion.
The Clintonville Legion baseball team hung on late for a 9-5 win over the Marion/Tigerton co-op in Marion on Thursday.
It marked the second straight day Clintonville topped Marion/Tigerton; the Diamond Cats earned a 4-2 win June 19.
Clintonville took an early lead before a five-run third inning gave the team some breathing room. Six straight batters reached base to open the inning before an out was recorded.
“The guys that got playing time tonight made the most of it,” said Clintonville coach Randy Finger. “And that’s good because it will help propel us into our tournament that starts Wednesday.”
One of the players who took advantage of his at-bats was Jack Klein, who received his first Legion at-bats of the summer in the contest.
Klein delivered a clutch two-RBI single in Clintonville’s five-run third inning.
“Usually, I am just a team player, sitting on the bench and cheering on my teammates. But tonight I came out and wanted to help the team out in an actual offensive way instead,” said Klein. “It felt really good. I was looking forward to getting some playing time tonight.”
The Diamond Cats utilized five pitchers to get through the game.
Logan Liesenfelder started the game and allowed an unearned run in an inning of work. Matt Morse came on in the second and held Marion/Tigerton in check before being replaced after hitting 80 pitches.
Clintonville added to its lead with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh inning, which proved to be big insurance runs. Chance Bork came through with a big RBI single in the inning, pushing the Diamond Cats’ lead to seven.
Marion/Tigerton put together a rally in its half of the seventh, with the first four batters reaching base.
Clintonville’s Sean Finger came on to try and preserve the visitor’s lead and did just that. He got the first two batters he faced to popout with two runners on.
After Marion/Tigerton closed the gap to four on a single, Finger was able to induce a third popout to end the game.
The two straight wins over Marion/Tigerton was a needed bounce-back for Clintonville, which endured a tough stretch in a weekend tournament in Rhinelander.
“They are really starting to come together right now,” said coach Finger. “You can see it in the dugout before and after the game. They are gelling. They’re relaxed, making fun of each other. We’re starting that upward climb.”
Marion/Tigerton is still trying to get into a groove on the field.
“It’s the story of our season. We are clearly not playing up to our potential,” said Marion/Tigerton coach Aaron Schoen. He noted that his team consists of several first- or second-team all-conference players, as well as a player of the year and runner-up player of the year from previous seasons.
“We are playing Little League rules out there. Things that we should be shoring up, we’re not,” he said. “That’s what I explained to them — you have to play seven innings, not four innings.”
Trailing 2-0 entering the bottom of the first, Marion/Tigerton cut the deficit in half. Austin Hoffmann scored the run on a double steal.
Marion/Tigerton only had one more baserunner reach until the fifth inning, where it scored once on a Hoffmann single but left the bases loaded.
Hoffmann, Conner Harris and Carter Goke all scored for the co-op in the seventh.
Zach Fehrman earned the start for Marion/Tigerton and worked the first five innings. Cayden Schoen tossed the final two.