By Jeff Patrus
Sports Editor
Brandon’s baseball team ran into a buzzsaw in their season opener.
On March 28, visiting Hartland pounded out 18 hits, including two home runs, to defeat the Blackhawks 22-7 in a game shortened to five innings due to the mercy rule, which stipulates if a team is ahead by at least 10 runs after five innings, the game is stopped.
Blackhawks pitcher Roy Reynolds gave up a home run on the game’s first pitch, but settled down to retire Hartland without any further damage. The Blackhawks then put two runs across in the bottom of the inning to take a 2-1 lead.
However, the floodgates opened in the top of the second, and Hartland took command of the game from there. Reynolds lasted 2-2/3 innings before leaving the game due to injury, and juniors Jeremy Fox and Derrick Kratt, who were called up from the junior varsity squad, finished out the game for Brandon.
“I needed to see what some of the younger kids could do,” Wagner said of Fox and Kratt. “This was their first varsity experience.”
Senior shortstop Nick Emery provided a bright spot for the Blackhawks, going two-for-three with a grand slam in the bottom of the fifth inning, driving in five runs in the game.
Wagner said Hartland’s senior-laden squad took advantage of the Blackhawks’ mistakes on the mound.
“They’ve played together a long time and they hit very well,” he said. “They hit everything at us. When you play the better teams, you’d better be spotting the ball or you’ll get roughed up. At the varsity level, if you don’t have command of three pitches, you won’t last long.”
The Blackhawks return to action today with a visit to St. Mary’s Prep at 4 p.m. They travel to Flint Powers April 10 before returning home April 12 to take on Stoney Creek at 11 a.m.