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Written by Steve DeDoes for Toledo Hawks Baseball
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Tuesday, 19 July 2011 13:40 |
Gold Hawks Rise Up To Take Two
Having to play a Sunday road doubleheader a few hours later than planned, the Toledo "Gold" Hawks decided to leave the Pittsburgh area with two wins on July 17. The Hawks took the first game from the Allegheny Athletics 7-1, then came from behind in the final inning to defeat the host team by a 5-2 score. The victories leave the Gold Hawks clinging to first place in the Tri-State League after a 2-2 weekend in Pennsylvania.
Drew Kuns (Bowling Green/Oregon) split the day between first base and catcher, defensively. But with a bat at the plate, Kuns was locked in as he went 7-for-8, including the game-winning hit in the second contest. He also initiated the offensive festivities in the opening game as his 3rd-inning RBI single brought home Blake Schmenk (Owens CC/Perrysburg) with the first score.
The eventual 3-run third also included RBI singles by Brett Howard (Siena Heights/Toledo) and Eric Yunker (Ohio Northern/Holland), with Howard's hit scoring Ryan Williams (Tiffin/Maumee) who had doubled. From that outburst, the Hawks cruised behind the pitching of Zak Esposito (Owens CC/Sandusky). "Zito" limited the A's to a single run in the fourth inning, and then stretched his work through the sixth; he struck out three hitters, walked five and hit another, but only gave up three hits in his stint.
The Hawks tacked on single runs in the fifth and sixth, and then added two more in the seventh. Howard replaced Kuns (single) on the bases in the 5th via fielder's choice, and then scored later on a passed ball. In the sixth, Schmenk rattled the rightfield fence with his second double, and third hit; this near-homer scored Levi Pauli (Defiance/Ottawa Lake, MI), who had also reached on a fielder's choice. Yunker's 7th-inning double was also his second two-bagger and third hit of the game, and this bash plated the final two runs. The Hawks had 14 hits in this game, as Eric Croak (Toledo/Toledo) had two hits to go with Kuns (4), Schmenk (3), and Yunker (3). Brett Kuebler (Siena Heights/Toledo) pitched the seventh; he allowed a walk and hit batsman, but caused the game to end on a 4-6-3 double play.
The second game started with Schmenk's leadoff single and Kuns' RBI double in the first; however, that was matched in the home half with the same formula by the Allegheny hitters against Hawk starter Tyler Gibson (Bluffton/Sylvania). From there, a pitchers' duel ensued. Gibson went five innings, allowed a total of four hits and three walks, and struck out two, but was touched for a second run in the fourth. That began to look like it might hold up - the Hawks could muster only a Kunz double in the third and a Mattie DeDoes (Oberlin/Ann Arbor, MI) single in the fourth and trailed after five, 2-1.
The Hawks did not score in the sixth, but began to serve notice that they did not intend to leave town quietly. Kuns and Howard led off with singles, and then Croak's sacrifice bunt turned into a bases-loaded, no-out situation. However, Yunker's apparent game-tying sacrifice fly turned into a double play when Kuns was gunned down at the plate by the A's rightfielder. R.J. Rios (Adrian/Toledo) then grounded out, leaving the Hawks one more chance in the seventh.
Jimmy Shaw (Lake Erie/Holland) came on to pitch the sixth and retired the side allowing only a one-out walk. Then, Shaw watched to see if his teammates could rally. And, after DeDoes grounded out leading off the inning, rally they did. Mike Lollo (Siena Heights/Allen Park, MI) caught the A's third baseman not guarding the line; his ground-ball double down the stripe in left was followed by a Pauli single and a Schmenk walk to load the bases.
Williams delivered the game-tying blow with a sharp single to right, and third-base coach Craig Meinzer wisely stopped Pauli at third as the A's rightfielder cannoned one more strong throw to the plate. Up came the unKonscious Kuns, who promptly smacked a two-run double to give the Hawks all they would need to claim the win. After Williams scored on a passed ball, Shaw worked out of two-out trouble in the seventh to nail down an important doubleheader sweep. In his two innings of work to pick up the victory, Shaw struck out two while allowing two hits and a walk.
It was well past seven o' clock as Gold Hawk players, coaches, and fans hit the road, but they left the Pittsburgh area still in first place in the Tri-State League. Their league won-loss record rose to 21-8, with an overall mark of 27-8.
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