Whiteoak breaks tie in 5th inning to defeat Fairfield
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
MOWRYSTOWN — For the first four and a half innings, the Whiteoak Wildcats and Fairfield Lions were battling in a pitcher’s duel with the score tied at two. Then the Wildcats’ bats got hot in the 75-degree weather, and the game took a big lean toward the direction of the host Wildcats.
In the bottom half of the fifth inning, the score went from being a 2-2 score to the Wildcats jumping ahead to a 5-2 lead at the conclusion of the inning. Eventually, Whiteoak fended off the offense of the Lions and added three more runs of their own to win the Southern Hills Athletic Conference game by an 8-2 score.
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The win by Whiteoak improved them to 10-0 overall and 6-0 in the conference. Besides having 10 hits in the win to go with their eight runs, Whiteoak had a complete game effort on the mound by Chase Butler, who for the second time in a span of six days took the mound for the Wildcats and pitched a solid outing. Butler, the winning pitcher, finished with not only a complete game of seven innings on the mound, but he allowed two runs (both earned) on five hits and one walk. The junior struck out three batters.
In all, the Wildcats finished with 10 hits, seven steals, seven RBI and two walks. Fairfield totaled five hits, four steals, two runs and one walk.
“Overall, it was a solid pitching performance by Chase Butler,” WHS head coach Chris Veidt said. “We had solid defense, with just one error and having that one late. We swung the bats well, and swung the bats well with two outs, and that was impressive.
“We ran the bases very aggressively. Back to the two-out hitting, we’ve done that well this season, and we have a goal sheet and award the kids. It takes some intestinal fortitude to hit with two outs, and our kids have that. We talk about playing Wildcat baseball and working the process, and no team has done that better than this team has.”
Whiteoak wasted very little time adding a run to the scoreboards, leading by a 1-0 score at the conclusion of the first inning. Before the Wildcats took their bats to the plate, it was Fairfield in the top of the first inning who left a runner in scoring position as Cody Gragg reached first base with a one-out single that went past the shortstop and into centerfield. From there, he stole second base but was left stranded following a strikeout and a ground out.
In the bottom of the first inning, Whiteoak scored with a lead-off walk on a full count by Traeten Hamilton. Hamilton then stole second base and with one out stole third base. Hamilton scored the first run of the game off a base hit which landed in centerfield — on a 0-2 count — by Trever Yeager for the 1-0 lead. Hamilton finished with two walks, two runs scored and three steals.
Butler retired the Lions in order in the second inning. Whiteoak had a hit for the second straight inning, this time a double hit to right field by Evan Brill on a 2-2 count, but eventually he and his WHS teammates were out, leaving the score at 1-0.
Again, the Wildcats defense and pitching were stellar in the third inning with WHS overcoming a base hit to left field by Ethan Grooms. A 2-3 double play, beginning with WHS catcher Billy Oliver sending the ball to first base following a sacrifice bunt attempt which left the ball landing into the glove of Oliver, ended the inning.
The Wildcats kept that momentum in the bottom of the third, beginning with a one-out walk on a full count by Hamilton. Hamilton then had a head-first slide into second base for a steal, and Ryan Roberts doubled with one out on a line drive past second base and into centerfield — on a hit-and-run — with a 2-2 count, scoring Hamilton for a 2-0 lead.
Neither team was able to score a run in the fourth as FHS left Andrew Dingey stranded on the bases after he forced a walk on a 3-1 count with two outs. The same can be said for Whiteoak, as they left the bases full in the bottom of the fourth. They began the inning with consecutive strikeouts pitched by Sam Buddelmeyer, but from there Brill singled to centerfield, Casey Nace singled on a hit-and-run to centerfield and Butler forced a four-pitch walk.
Fairfield’s offense finally came together to score runs in the top of the fifth with Layne Morgan (who totaled one run and two steals) hitting a single to right field. He stole second base, and Wyatt Willey doubled Morgan home on a hit that landed in right field. Willey later stole third base with two outs and scored on a single to right field off the bat of Austin Setty. Gragg also had a hit in the inning, but he and Setty were left on the bases. Gragg also had a steal in the game.
Whiteoak had their best inning of the game in the bottom of the fifth, taking all of the momentum to their side and along with that the lead at 5-2 with a three-run inning.
Roberts — who finished 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI — opened the Whiteoak fifth with a single to right field on a 1-2 count but was out on a fielder’s choice hit into by Yeager. Yeager eventually went to second base and stole third, giving Chase Carraher a chance at an RBI opportunity with one out. Carraher (who was 2-for-4 with one run, two RBI and three steals) took advantage of the opportunity by singling to right field to plate Yeager and make it a 3-2 score with two outs. Yeager ended the game with one hit, two runs, two RBI and one steal.
That go-ahead run ended up being all Whiteoak needed, but they still added two more runs in the fifth with Carraher scoring on a two-out double — on a 3-1 count — to left field by Mason Lehr. Pinch runner Joey Oliver entered the game for Yeager, and he too rounded the bases following a double to right field by Brill (after a Fairfield pitching change) for a 5-2 lead. Brill led the Wildcats at 3-for-3 with one RBI.
“Here is what we are working on … this is a good thing, we obviously don’t quit when we are behind, and that has been established, but we are working on not quitting when we are ahead. Not that we quit, but we were up 2-0 here and up 6-0 yesterday, and we made things interesting,” Veidt said. “That is why my hair is white, but I’ll take that type of comeback. The kids have great character to do that. They are fighters … they are just baseball players, and right now it is a lot of fun.”
For the next two innings, the Fairfield offense was held to no hits by Butler, with the lone Fairfield base runner being Morgan, who reached first on an infield error.
“Chase tired some late against Hillsboro and some of his other starts, but we were just hoping to get him through the seventh there today,” Veidt said. “It was a little contentious with the first two hitters (runner reached on an error and a 3-1 count), but he fought back. He had 93 total pitches and finished the game. Chase is in mid-season form and spotted his fastball, which is one thing he hasn’t been doing, and his off-speed is always dangerous.”
Whiteoak scored three final runs in the bottom of the sixth with Butler, Roberts and Yeager all crossing home plate. Butler led off the inning by taking first on an infield error and went to second with a sacrifice bunt by Hamilton. Having one out, Roberts singled to centerfield and later on a fielder’s choice hit by Yeager, Butler out-maneuvered a rundown on an errant throw in the attempt to score a run, making the score 6-2.
With two outs in the sixth, Carraher singled to left field to knock in Yeager for the final run of the game.
The loss was charged to Buddelmeyer. The junior pitcher allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits and two walks. Buddelmeyer hit one batter, walked two and finished the 4.2 innings pitched with four strikeouts. Setty pitched 1.1 innings of relief. He allowed three runs (one earned) on three hits, finishing with one strikeout.
The undefeated start by the Wildcats at 10-0 is just a number to Veidt, as like the old saying goes, they are just taking their season one game at a time.
“I just try not to think abut being 10-0,” Veidt said. “Honestly, I just try to think about the next pitch, the next hitter and the next game. As long as we focus that way, we are going to be fine, one game at a time. I don’t get too caught up in the record, and like I said, we take it one game at a time, and these guys have done a good job focusing in that manner.”
In the bottom half of the fifth inning, the score went from being a 2-2 score to the Wildcats jumping ahead to a 5-2 lead at the conclusion of the inning. Eventually, Whiteoak fended off the offense of the Lions and added three more runs of their own to win the Southern Hills Athletic Conference game by an 8-2 score.
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The win by Whiteoak improved them to 10-0 overall and 6-0 in the conference. Besides having 10 hits in the win to go with their eight runs, Whiteoak had a complete game effort on the mound by Chase Butler, who for the second time in a span of six days took the mound for the Wildcats and pitched a solid outing. Butler, the winning pitcher, finished with not only a complete game of seven innings on the mound, but he allowed two runs (both earned) on five hits and one walk. The junior struck out three batters.
In all, the Wildcats finished with 10 hits, seven steals, seven RBI and two walks. Fairfield totaled five hits, four steals, two runs and one walk.
“Overall, it was a solid pitching performance by Chase Butler,” WHS head coach Chris Veidt said. “We had solid defense, with just one error and having that one late. We swung the bats well, and swung the bats well with two outs, and that was impressive.
“We ran the bases very aggressively. Back to the two-out hitting, we’ve done that well this season, and we have a goal sheet and award the kids. It takes some intestinal fortitude to hit with two outs, and our kids have that. We talk about playing Wildcat baseball and working the process, and no team has done that better than this team has.”
Whiteoak wasted very little time adding a run to the scoreboards, leading by a 1-0 score at the conclusion of the first inning. Before the Wildcats took their bats to the plate, it was Fairfield in the top of the first inning who left a runner in scoring position as Cody Gragg reached first base with a one-out single that went past the shortstop and into centerfield. From there, he stole second base but was left stranded following a strikeout and a ground out.
In the bottom of the first inning, Whiteoak scored with a lead-off walk on a full count by Traeten Hamilton. Hamilton then stole second base and with one out stole third base. Hamilton scored the first run of the game off a base hit which landed in centerfield — on a 0-2 count — by Trever Yeager for the 1-0 lead. Hamilton finished with two walks, two runs scored and three steals.
Butler retired the Lions in order in the second inning. Whiteoak had a hit for the second straight inning, this time a double hit to right field by Evan Brill on a 2-2 count, but eventually he and his WHS teammates were out, leaving the score at 1-0.
Again, the Wildcats defense and pitching were stellar in the third inning with WHS overcoming a base hit to left field by Ethan Grooms. A 2-3 double play, beginning with WHS catcher Billy Oliver sending the ball to first base following a sacrifice bunt attempt which left the ball landing into the glove of Oliver, ended the inning.
The Wildcats kept that momentum in the bottom of the third, beginning with a one-out walk on a full count by Hamilton. Hamilton then had a head-first slide into second base for a steal, and Ryan Roberts doubled with one out on a line drive past second base and into centerfield — on a hit-and-run — with a 2-2 count, scoring Hamilton for a 2-0 lead.
Neither team was able to score a run in the fourth as FHS left Andrew Dingey stranded on the bases after he forced a walk on a 3-1 count with two outs. The same can be said for Whiteoak, as they left the bases full in the bottom of the fourth. They began the inning with consecutive strikeouts pitched by Sam Buddelmeyer, but from there Brill singled to centerfield, Casey Nace singled on a hit-and-run to centerfield and Butler forced a four-pitch walk.
Fairfield’s offense finally came together to score runs in the top of the fifth with Layne Morgan (who totaled one run and two steals) hitting a single to right field. He stole second base, and Wyatt Willey doubled Morgan home on a hit that landed in right field. Willey later stole third base with two outs and scored on a single to right field off the bat of Austin Setty. Gragg also had a hit in the inning, but he and Setty were left on the bases. Gragg also had a steal in the game.
Whiteoak had their best inning of the game in the bottom of the fifth, taking all of the momentum to their side and along with that the lead at 5-2 with a three-run inning.
Roberts — who finished 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI — opened the Whiteoak fifth with a single to right field on a 1-2 count but was out on a fielder’s choice hit into by Yeager. Yeager eventually went to second base and stole third, giving Chase Carraher a chance at an RBI opportunity with one out. Carraher (who was 2-for-4 with one run, two RBI and three steals) took advantage of the opportunity by singling to right field to plate Yeager and make it a 3-2 score with two outs. Yeager ended the game with one hit, two runs, two RBI and one steal.
That go-ahead run ended up being all Whiteoak needed, but they still added two more runs in the fifth with Carraher scoring on a two-out double — on a 3-1 count — to left field by Mason Lehr. Pinch runner Joey Oliver entered the game for Yeager, and he too rounded the bases following a double to right field by Brill (after a Fairfield pitching change) for a 5-2 lead. Brill led the Wildcats at 3-for-3 with one RBI.
“Here is what we are working on … this is a good thing, we obviously don’t quit when we are behind, and that has been established, but we are working on not quitting when we are ahead. Not that we quit, but we were up 2-0 here and up 6-0 yesterday, and we made things interesting,” Veidt said. “That is why my hair is white, but I’ll take that type of comeback. The kids have great character to do that. They are fighters … they are just baseball players, and right now it is a lot of fun.”
For the next two innings, the Fairfield offense was held to no hits by Butler, with the lone Fairfield base runner being Morgan, who reached first on an infield error.
“Chase tired some late against Hillsboro and some of his other starts, but we were just hoping to get him through the seventh there today,” Veidt said. “It was a little contentious with the first two hitters (runner reached on an error and a 3-1 count), but he fought back. He had 93 total pitches and finished the game. Chase is in mid-season form and spotted his fastball, which is one thing he hasn’t been doing, and his off-speed is always dangerous.”
Whiteoak scored three final runs in the bottom of the sixth with Butler, Roberts and Yeager all crossing home plate. Butler led off the inning by taking first on an infield error and went to second with a sacrifice bunt by Hamilton. Having one out, Roberts singled to centerfield and later on a fielder’s choice hit by Yeager, Butler out-maneuvered a rundown on an errant throw in the attempt to score a run, making the score 6-2.
With two outs in the sixth, Carraher singled to left field to knock in Yeager for the final run of the game.
The loss was charged to Buddelmeyer. The junior pitcher allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits and two walks. Buddelmeyer hit one batter, walked two and finished the 4.2 innings pitched with four strikeouts. Setty pitched 1.1 innings of relief. He allowed three runs (one earned) on three hits, finishing with one strikeout.
The undefeated start by the Wildcats at 10-0 is just a number to Veidt, as like the old saying goes, they are just taking their season one game at a time.
“I just try not to think abut being 10-0,” Veidt said. “Honestly, I just try to think about the next pitch, the next hitter and the next game. As long as we focus that way, we are going to be fine, one game at a time. I don’t get too caught up in the record, and like I said, we take it one game at a time, and these guys have done a good job focusing in that manner.”