Defensive miscues end Whiteoak season in districts
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
CHILLICOTHE — Following the first at-bat of the game where the Whiteoak Wildcats reached base with a triple, the Waterford Wildcats had other plans for their No. 4 seeded opponent in the Division IV SE District Semifinal game.
In fact, the lead-off triple by Whiteoak’s Traeten Hamilton was the lone hit allowed by Waterford pitcher Clay Hayes. The No. 1 seeded Waterford club defeated the Whiteoak ’Cats in five innings by an 11-1 score Monday at VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe, as Whiteoak committed seven errors in the loss.
Waterford’s Hayes allowed just one unearned run on one hit and six walks in the win over Whiteoak, as he finished with seven strikeouts in the five-inning game.
In all for the victors, Waterford was 12-of-24 from the plate with four walks and two sacrifices. Leading the way at the plate were four players with two hits each. Leadoff batter Isaac Huffman was 2-for-4 with two RBIs, while Jordan Welch went 2-for-2 with two RBIS and two walks. Braden Bellville was 2-for-3 with a sacrifice and three RBIs. Bryce Hilverding was 2-for-2 with two RBIs and a walk.
“This didn’t turn out the way we wanted it to, and the bottom line is we had some great preparation, and we told the kids we had to play a similar type game like we did against Fairfield,” WHS head coach Chris Veidt said. “We couldn’t kick the ball around, have walks and wild pitches, things like that. Our goal each game is to have five or less freebies an entire game. After half the game (Monday), we had 10, and you can’t do that.
“I don’t think the field had anything to do with our miscues, we just didn’t have a good defensive game. Their guy (Hayes) hit his spots and kept us off-balance, and we lost.”
Whiteoak had their opportunity to score early in the first inning by beginning the game with a lead-off triple off the bat of Hamilton, on a 1-1 count, down the right field line on a line drive. In the ensuing at-bat, Chase Butler forced a full-count walk, giving Whiteoak runners on the corners.
What looked like an explosive inning for Whiteoak after the first two batters turned into an inning where both Hamilton and Butler were left stranded on the bases with the next three WHS at-bats ending with a pop up to the shortstop, a fly ball to centerfield and then a strikeout.
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On the opposite side of the spectrum, for the Waterford Wildcats (21-5), they took advantage of two Whiteoak errors, eventually scoring four runs in their half of the first inning, leading to a 4-0 lead.
Waterford gained three hits in the bottom of the first, beginning with a double down the right field line by Huffman, followed by a triple from Welch, also to right field, batting in Huffman for the first run of the game.
Welch scored on a sacrifice with Bellville sending the ball to left field. From there in the first, Riley Burns followed by forcing a one-out walk on a full count, and next there was a double by Hilverding, moving the score to 3-0 when Burns crossed home plate.
The final run of the first inning scored when Hilverding crossed home plate as Brock Hayes managed to stay safe on a rundown attempt by Whiteoak for the 4-0 advantage after the opening inning.
The second inning for Waterford saw them capitalize on three errors committed by Whiteoak in a variety of ways of throwing and fielding the baseball. Those errors resulted in Huffman and Welch scoring runs for a 6-0 advantage. The run scored by Huffman came off an RBI single hit past the shortstop by Welch.
Whiteoak (14-14) was able to break onto the scoreboard in the top of the third with a two-out run, scoring on an infield error. Hamilton (who walked to reach the bases) scored from second base when the ball bounced off the second baseman of Waterford off a hit from Caleb West with two outs.
Waterford added to their lead in the bottom of the third, beginning with an infield base hit by Burns, who followed up by stealing second base. During the next at-bat, Hilverding smashed the ball to centerfield, scoring Burns and increasing the Waterford lead to 7-1.
The Waterford Wildcats weren’t finished in the third as they began the third with a total of three straight hits, followed by a sacrifice fly. The third hit of the inning came off an RBI single to right field by Brock Hayes, followed by the aforementioned sacrifice fly by Tyler McCutcheon, which scored Hilverding for the eighth Waterford run of the game.
The third inning continued with Waterford loading the bases with two outs, but the Whiteoak Wildcats were able to see starting pitcher Evan Brill work his way out of the jam with a strikeout to end the inning.
Whiteoak attempted to have a two-out rally in the top of the fourth with two consecutive two-out walks by Brill and Ryan Roberts, but they were left stranded as Waterford’s Hayes struck out his third batter of the fourth to end the inning.
Waterford sealed the five-inning win in the bottom of the fifth with McCutcheon, Noah Huffman and Isaac Huffman all scoring runs. Isaac Huffman batted in McCutcheon, followed by the game ending as Bellville sent an off-speed pitch to centerfield to score both Huffmans.
Brill was charged with the loss for Whiteoak, pitching three innings with two strikeouts. Also pitching two innings of relief for Whiteoak was Chase Butler.
In all WHS had not just the lone hit, but also forced six walks with Hamilton, Butler, Trevor Yeager, Brill (two) and Ryan Roberts all drawing walks.
“We were able to force walks but just didn’t get the hits when we needed them,” Veidt said. “Also, Billy Oliver had good effort for us and played a good game behind the plate.”
Seniors for Whiteoak were Brandon Lowe and Chad Jones.
“Our seniors did everything we asked of them, and they were great to have on the team this season. They will be missed,” Veidt said.
In fact, the lead-off triple by Whiteoak’s Traeten Hamilton was the lone hit allowed by Waterford pitcher Clay Hayes. The No. 1 seeded Waterford club defeated the Whiteoak ’Cats in five innings by an 11-1 score Monday at VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe, as Whiteoak committed seven errors in the loss.
Waterford’s Hayes allowed just one unearned run on one hit and six walks in the win over Whiteoak, as he finished with seven strikeouts in the five-inning game.
In all for the victors, Waterford was 12-of-24 from the plate with four walks and two sacrifices. Leading the way at the plate were four players with two hits each. Leadoff batter Isaac Huffman was 2-for-4 with two RBIs, while Jordan Welch went 2-for-2 with two RBIS and two walks. Braden Bellville was 2-for-3 with a sacrifice and three RBIs. Bryce Hilverding was 2-for-2 with two RBIs and a walk.
“This didn’t turn out the way we wanted it to, and the bottom line is we had some great preparation, and we told the kids we had to play a similar type game like we did against Fairfield,” WHS head coach Chris Veidt said. “We couldn’t kick the ball around, have walks and wild pitches, things like that. Our goal each game is to have five or less freebies an entire game. After half the game (Monday), we had 10, and you can’t do that.
“I don’t think the field had anything to do with our miscues, we just didn’t have a good defensive game. Their guy (Hayes) hit his spots and kept us off-balance, and we lost.”
Whiteoak had their opportunity to score early in the first inning by beginning the game with a lead-off triple off the bat of Hamilton, on a 1-1 count, down the right field line on a line drive. In the ensuing at-bat, Chase Butler forced a full-count walk, giving Whiteoak runners on the corners.
What looked like an explosive inning for Whiteoak after the first two batters turned into an inning where both Hamilton and Butler were left stranded on the bases with the next three WHS at-bats ending with a pop up to the shortstop, a fly ball to centerfield and then a strikeout.
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On the opposite side of the spectrum, for the Waterford Wildcats (21-5), they took advantage of two Whiteoak errors, eventually scoring four runs in their half of the first inning, leading to a 4-0 lead.
Waterford gained three hits in the bottom of the first, beginning with a double down the right field line by Huffman, followed by a triple from Welch, also to right field, batting in Huffman for the first run of the game.
Welch scored on a sacrifice with Bellville sending the ball to left field. From there in the first, Riley Burns followed by forcing a one-out walk on a full count, and next there was a double by Hilverding, moving the score to 3-0 when Burns crossed home plate.
The final run of the first inning scored when Hilverding crossed home plate as Brock Hayes managed to stay safe on a rundown attempt by Whiteoak for the 4-0 advantage after the opening inning.
The second inning for Waterford saw them capitalize on three errors committed by Whiteoak in a variety of ways of throwing and fielding the baseball. Those errors resulted in Huffman and Welch scoring runs for a 6-0 advantage. The run scored by Huffman came off an RBI single hit past the shortstop by Welch.
Whiteoak (14-14) was able to break onto the scoreboard in the top of the third with a two-out run, scoring on an infield error. Hamilton (who walked to reach the bases) scored from second base when the ball bounced off the second baseman of Waterford off a hit from Caleb West with two outs.
Waterford added to their lead in the bottom of the third, beginning with an infield base hit by Burns, who followed up by stealing second base. During the next at-bat, Hilverding smashed the ball to centerfield, scoring Burns and increasing the Waterford lead to 7-1.
The Waterford Wildcats weren’t finished in the third as they began the third with a total of three straight hits, followed by a sacrifice fly. The third hit of the inning came off an RBI single to right field by Brock Hayes, followed by the aforementioned sacrifice fly by Tyler McCutcheon, which scored Hilverding for the eighth Waterford run of the game.
The third inning continued with Waterford loading the bases with two outs, but the Whiteoak Wildcats were able to see starting pitcher Evan Brill work his way out of the jam with a strikeout to end the inning.
Whiteoak attempted to have a two-out rally in the top of the fourth with two consecutive two-out walks by Brill and Ryan Roberts, but they were left stranded as Waterford’s Hayes struck out his third batter of the fourth to end the inning.
Waterford sealed the five-inning win in the bottom of the fifth with McCutcheon, Noah Huffman and Isaac Huffman all scoring runs. Isaac Huffman batted in McCutcheon, followed by the game ending as Bellville sent an off-speed pitch to centerfield to score both Huffmans.
Brill was charged with the loss for Whiteoak, pitching three innings with two strikeouts. Also pitching two innings of relief for Whiteoak was Chase Butler.
In all WHS had not just the lone hit, but also forced six walks with Hamilton, Butler, Trevor Yeager, Brill (two) and Ryan Roberts all drawing walks.
“We were able to force walks but just didn’t get the hits when we needed them,” Veidt said. “Also, Billy Oliver had good effort for us and played a good game behind the plate.”
Seniors for Whiteoak were Brandon Lowe and Chad Jones.
“Our seniors did everything we asked of them, and they were great to have on the team this season. They will be missed,” Veidt said.