by Carrie Moritz
In a strong double header against the Hawks last Tuesday, May 30, the Garretson 14U baseball team showed opponents their prowess with the ball. They took home the wins with scores of 9-2 and 15-0.
Garretson started off the game with a point scored by Carter Siemonsma thanks to a grounder by Collin Olson at the top of the first inning. While the second inning was unsuccessful, the top of the third saw Caiden Maack double on a fly ball to left field, allowing Dylan Waltman to score. Garretson scored three more times that inning, making the score 4-2.
At the top of the fourth, Waltman hit a double, then successfully stole third base and touched home plate on a single by Siemonsma. Siemsonsma found home shortly after Waltman thanks to a wild pitch by the Hawks and a single by Maack, bringing the score to 7-2. Not to be left out, Maack again crossed home plate when Isaac Stoterau doubled on a fly to left field.
Pitcher Collin Olson had the mound for all five innings of the first game, allowing 7 hits and striking out 8.
Siemonsma, Maack, Olson, Stoterau, and Waltman each got at least one hit for the team in blue. Maack, Olson, and Stoterau had runs batted in, while Maack, Siemonsma, and Olson each successfully stole bases.
The second game of the night was done in three innings, as the Garretson team showed the Hawks who had the upper hand and finished 15-0. The high-scoring game saw Garretson gather 5 points in the first, 6 in the second, and 4 points in the third inning.
Garretson got the game started at the bottom of the first, when Maack scored on a single by Stoterau. They quickly picked up two more points when Aiden Johnson singled, allowing Elijah Winterton and Stoterau to cross home plate. The next play saw Jacoby Costello single on a grounder to the shortstop, allowing Isaiah Coburn to score. Not to be outdone, Johnson later scored on a balk by the Hawks pitcher, bringing the score to 5-0 at the end of the first inning. The second and third innings were much the same, with Garretson running roughshod over the Hawks' defense.
Siemonsma, Maack, Olson, Stoterau, Coburn, Johnson, Costello, Lucas Schotzko, and Wyatt Potter all successfully hit the ball from the Hawks pitchers, who allowed 17 hits over the three innings. Siemonsma, Maack, Costello, and Stoterau each successfully stole two bases, and Coburn, Potter, and Elijah Winterton each stole one.
Toeing the mound for Garretson was Stoterau, who struck out seven and allowed three hits over the course of the game.
Lead cinched in sixth against Volga
Continuing their streak, the Garretson team traveled to Volga on Friday, June 2 and took home the win again, 19-13.
Things looked bleak as Volga took the lead through the first three innings, keeping Garretson from scoring any points. That turned around at the top of the 4th when Coburn grounded, allowing Maack to cross home plate. A fly ball by Drew Chester sent both Olson and Stoterau over the plate in the next play, bringing the score to 3-4.
Volga seemed as though it would keep the lead as it widened the gap at the bottom of the fourth, scoring three more points.
Not to be outdone, Garretson went on the offensive in the fifth inning, gathering four more points and keeping Volga from scoring further, tying the game up at 7-7. They did nearly the same in the sixth inning with five more points while keeping Volga to only one more. The run allowed Garretson to grab the lead, 12-8.
At the top of the 7th, Volga's pitcher walked the first four batters, loading the bases and allowing Potter to score. The next two plays saw Siemonsma, Maack, and Olson touch home plate, bringing the score to 16-8. Garretson continued to dance all over the Volga team, sending three more across the plate.
Out for revenge, Volga tried to make up the difference at the bottom of the seventh, grabbing four more points before Maack struck out the final batter, bringing the final score to 19-13.
Chester and Maack toed the mound for three innings each with Bence Bonte pitching relief. Chester allowed four hits while striking out two, and Maack allowed three hits while striking out three. Bonte had a difficult time, walking three.
Olson, Stoterau, Coburn, Chester, and Ty VanHolland each got hits, while Stoterau, Olson, VanHolland, Siemonsma, Coburn, and Maack successfully stole bases.
The team next took on Canton Blue on Tuesday at home (results not available at press time), and will be at Garretson's Tandberg Field taking on West Central Gold tomorrow (Friday) at 1:00 p.m. and Tea Bolts on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. before heading to Humboldt on Tuesday.
