Sometimes all a team needs is a big win to ratchet up their level of play.
Clarkston’s baseball team certainly got a big win on April 13 running eighth ranked Rochester off the diamond to the tune of 16-0. The momentum the Wolves accrued in dispatching the Falcons carried over to their next game, a 10-3 victory over Kimball on April 18.
‘We lost 12 seniors from last year’s team. The more baseball we play the better we will be,? said Clarkston Coach Phil Price.
Clarkston pitcher Steve McIsaac seemed to be in midseason form against Kimball, as he worked all seven innings, fanning 10 batters while only giving up two walks, and three earned runs on four hits.
‘The two biggest things (against Kimball) was that McIsaac didn’t walk anybody until the sixth inning and we fielded the ball,? said Price.
Kimball could not say the same after the game as the Knights allowed five unearned runs on five errors in the ball game.
‘I don’t think we were mentally prepared to play this game,? said Kimball Coach Brian Gordon. ?(McIsaac) pitched a good game. He got a little tired towards the end, but we could not overcome our lapses in the field.?
Clarkston did try to get a relief pitcher into the ballgame, but due to some rulebook confusion, the switch was disallowed. McIsaac was game however as he induced two ground balls for outs and struck out the final batter of the game.
‘I did not think I was going out there for the seventh. I just had to pull through and go and get the job done,? said McIsaac. ‘I just tried to take some velocity off and throw strikes.?
The Wolves were careful to not waste McIsaac’s pitching performance as they hit the ball well from the first inning on. Kimball’s Connor McIntosh pitched 5.2 innings, struck out four, walked two and allowed five earned runs on 11 hits.
Clarkston scored three runs in the first inning, and one in the second, third and fourth. Kimball rallied in the top of the sixth, putting three runs on the scoreboard. The Wolves were not about to let the game slip away, as they rang up four more runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Offensive standouts for the Wolves were Eric Bryan (two for three, one RBI, two runs scored, one stolen base, one walk), Steve Vanderheyden (one for two, one RBI, two runs scored), Mike Kittle (three for four, two runs scored, two stolen bases), Dave Brelinski (one for four, two RBI) and J.J. Lange (one for three, one home run,).
Lange was also a juggernaut for the Wolves in the batters box and on the mound against Rochester as he went two for two, had four RBI’s and picked up the victory on the mound, pitching a two hitter in four innings of work.
Next up for the Wolves is Troy at home on April 20 followed by a tough road matchup against 10th ranked Lake Orion.
Clarkston is 4-3 (2-1) on the season.