Morgan Rode sports@newmedia-wi.com
Leader Photo by Morgan Rode Shawano’s Nick Grignon follows through after ripping a RBI double to right-center during the third inning of Tuesday’s Legion game against Wrightstown at Memorial Park.
Leader Photo by Morgan Rode Shawano’s Kris Krause makes a throw to first base during the fourth inning of Tuesday’s Legion game against Wrightstown at Memorial Park.
Leader Photo by Morgan Rode Shawano’s Ian Reinders delivers a pitch during the first inning of Tuesday’s Legion game against Wrightstown at Memorial Park. Reinders tossed scoreless frames in the second and third innings after getting out of a jam in the first.
The Shawano Legion baseball team surrendered 10 first-inning runs to Wrightstown and was unable to recover in an eventual 16-1 loss at Memorial Park in Shawano on Tuesday.
Wrightstown sent 16 batters to the plate in the 10-run frame. There wasn’t a bunch of hard contact but instead several well-placed hits that found openings in the Shawano defense.
Wrightstown also took advantage of four walks, a hit batter and a pair of Shawano errors.
“They hit the ball, not particularly hard, but they hit the ball. They got some hits to drop in and we had a couple miscues defensively — we probably had five or six errors again tonight,” said Shawano coach Kobey Pues.
Steve Hoffmann started the game for the Patriots before Ian Reinders got the final out of the inning.
Shawano looked like it might escape the inning, trailing by just four after Hoffmann struck out a batter and then induced a fielder’s choice for the second out. But a walk followed by a two-RBI single chased Hoffmann.
After getting out of the first inning, Reinders settled into a groove on the mound over the next couple of innings.
Reinders stranded two runners in the second inning by getting a groundout and then striking out a batter for the final out. After allowing a leadoff single in the third, Reinders induced three straight flyouts — including a nice catch by center fielder Mason Dingeldein for the first out— to keep Wrightstown off the scoreboard.
Parker Pues replaced Reinders on the mound in the fourth inning and tossed the final two innings.
Pues was greeted by an infield single and then RBI double, but responded by striking out two of the next three hitters to avoid further damage.
Already holding an 11-1 lead, Wrightstown sent 10 batters to the plate in the fifth to tack on five insurance runs.
Three walks and a pair of errors by Shawano allowed the visitors to put the game away.
“I’m really hoping that we get a few bounces to go our way, make a couple good defensive plays, get a good pitching performance, but unfortunately for the first six games or whatever it’s been we have gotten none of them,” said coach Pues on the team’s tough breaks so far this summer.
“It’s really frustrating because you come out here and want to win but its tough when the plays go against you,” said Nick Grignon, who finished with a pair of hits. “You just have to keep your teammates heads in the game so they can make the next play.”
Shawano was able to put several runners on during the contest, but was unable to string several hits together to cut into the deficit.
Pues and Hoffmann walked to open the bottom of the first inning, but a double play followed by a groundout ended the frame without a run scoring.
Dingeldein walked in the second and moved into scoring position on a groundout, but a foul pop marked the final out of the inning.
Shawano was able to take advantage of getting its leadoff batter on in the third. Karson Rades reached on a single before moving to second on a groundout and then scoring on an opposite field double by Nick Grignon.
Dingeldein also walked in the fourth inning, but was never able to advance another base.
Jake Grignon and Nick Grignon each singled with two outs in the fifth, but a groundout ended the contest.