Baseball v. Villanova

[jetz]

Hara drives a fly ball to deep right.  Martin scores easily, Morman to third.  Manning hits a chopper to short, who throws him out for the end of the fourth.  Valpo gets one back and trails 4-2.

[jetz]

Lundeen back on the hill for the fifth.  The leadoff man Ramboud bloops a Texas leaguer over Vavra's head for a single.  BJ now up, and Lundeen loses grip on a curve ball that goes to the backstop on the fly.  Runner to 2nd.

[jetz]

Lundeen gets the next hitter on a fastball swinging.  1 away.  The next Vill hitter hits a ball in the ss hole.  Maloney gathers and one bounces it to Bain aat first for the out.  Nice play.  2 away.

[valpotx]

A SS with range = a pitcher's best friend 

[jetz]

Cialone drives a single to left.  Morman comes up throwing, but the throw is off line and the runner scores from second.  The batter went to second on the throw home, and Cribbs threw after him.  The ball ended up off of Vavra's glove in the grass, and Cialone advances to third on the play.  Now 5-2 Vill, two away, top 5.

[valpox2]

Thanks for keeping us updated, Jerry...

[jetz]

Schrenk lines a single to left center, and drives in Cialone.  Now 6-2 Villa and that's it for Lundeen.  He threw 92 pitches, gave up 5 ER, 8 H, and 5 Ks with a walk.  He's responsible for the runner at first.  Kennedy in for Valpo.  His first pitch is in the dirt, and the runner moves to second.  Ryan is making his second appearance of 2013 after leading the pen in ERA in 2012.  He's a smaller guy--about 5'10" and 150, and throws in the mid 80s.  Count is full on Clark, and Kennedy walks him with the payoff pitch.  Runners on 1st and 2nd, 2 away.  The full pen heads out to left now. 

[jetz]

Kennedy fans Jones to end the Vill fifth, but damage has been done.  6-2 Vill 

[mklhaas]

Snow day in Chicago... thanks for the updates! Let's go Valpo!

[jetz]

Mahoney starts the 5th with a line drive single to center.  Vavra steps in.  Vill starter still throwing, but now three balls to Vavra brings a visit to the mound.  Santana for ballpark music--beats Manilow from the first day here!  MacLachlan stays in.  Vavra works the count full, then takes a walk.  Runners on first and second for Valpo, no out.  Bain up.  We need a big inning here!

[jetz]

Hit and run.  Bain whiffs on the curve, but no throw from the catcher so now we have em on 2nd and 3rd.  bain hits a two hopper to short, whose lax throw is late at first!  Bain on with a single, and Mahoney scores, Vavra to third.  Now 6-3 Vill, no out.

[jetz]

Loeffler lifts a fly to center deep enough to score Tanner, and we now trail 6-4 with two away in the bottom of the fifth.  Bain remains at first.  Vill makes a pitching change.  Here's big Max Beerman, a 6'6" freshman from Tampa.  Dobie Grey on the PA--'Give Me the Beat Boys...'

[jetz]

Martin absolutely smokes aline drive right at the shortstop, who doubles off Bain at first.  He killed that ball.  End of 5, Vill 6 Valpo 4.  Jackson Browne on the PA--Runnin' on Empty.

[jetz]

Kennedy back on the hill for the sixth.  He gets the first batter to fly to left for out #1.  Lowe hits a soft line drive over Martin's head for a single.  Cribbs out to talk with RK.

[jetz]

Coach Woodson calls time and there will be a pitching change.  Mike Jacobs, captain and LHP, is called into the game.  Jacobs is making his team leading fourth appearance out of the pen.  He's been effective so far this year, but typically will only throw to a couple of hittlers.  Bryce Yoder is warming up in the pen.

[jetz]

Jacobs gets the Vill batter looking at the fourth pitch.  Two away, runner on first.  Jacobs fastball is only 73 on the gun, but lots of movement.  He gets a popup to first.  Vavra calls off Bain, then barely hangs on to it to end the top of the sixth.  6-4 Vill

[jetz]

Morman skies a ball to shallow center for the first out of the Valpo half.  Beerman's at 83 on the Valpo gun.  Cribbs pops a ball foul, but the (large) Vill catcher can't get to it.  Cribbs stays alive. 

[valpotx]

Wow, good for him to be able to do that at 73!  Again, I love that Woodson looks at results over speed. 

[jetz]

Cribbs draws a walk.  Hara bounces back to the pitcher, who gets the force at second for the second out.  Hara on first.  Look for him to try to steal.

[jetz]

Hara won't get the chance to steal, as Manning comes through!  He drives a double to the gap in left center, and Hara comes around to score easily.  Mahoney up with Manning on second in a 6-5 game.

[jetz]

Mahoney seeing a steady diet of inside pitches, now 2-2 count.  Spencer grounds out to second to strand Manning.  Valpo trails by just one, 6-5 through six.

[jetz]

Jacobs back on the hill for Valpo in the top of the seventh.  On the velo, 73 is actually up for Mike from last year.  As I said before, he's been effective.  He gets a ground ball to Mahoney, who throws high to first and the runner is safe.  Looked like Bain should have made the play, but he stayed on the bag instead of getting the ball..the next batter bunts the runner over to second.  One away.

[jetz]

Jacobs K'sSchrenck on a nasty hook, and there's two away.  Coach Woodson comes out to get Jacobs, who is responsible for the runner at second.  It'll be Bryce Yoder on to pitch.

[jetz]

Bryce makes his second appearance for Valpo in 2013.  He's about 5'10", 160 lbs and a true freshman.  He blows away Brandon Carr swinging at an 84 mph FB for the final out of the Vill half.  Stretch time, Valpo trails 6-5. 

[jetz]

Vavra vs. Beerman (that kid has a future) to start the bottom of the seventh.  Vavra grounds to third and there's one away.  Bain steps in.  He flies to center.  2 up, 2 down.  Loeffler in the box.  3-0 count, and John draws a four pitch walk.