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closes out summer with four straight wins |
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| B. Scott
Anderson Sports Blog |
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Abby's gets crushed, crushes Glencoe |
By B. Scott
Anderson, Newberg Graphic sports editor
E-mail Scott at banderson@eaglenewspapers.com
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The Abby’s AAA American
Legion baseball team proved Wednesday all it needed to do to win was
focus.
The
Tigers were romped 13-2 by Glencoe in the first game of a
doubleheader. Newberg rebounded to score a 10-3 win in the second
game.
Elias Molen, an assistant coach who served as Abby’s head coach
during the doubleheader in place of coach Frank Baumholtz, said the
difference between the two games had to do with Abby’s mental
approach.
“If a pitcher gets down on himself, he’s not going to throw very
many strikes,” he said. “If players are booting balls around, then
they’re going to continue to boot balls around. The focus needs to
be there the entire time.”
Glencoe jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first two innings of the
first game before Abby’s scored. In the third, RBI singles by Chris
Anderson and Chris Wright brought the Tigers within 3-2.
First team Pac-9 Conference pitcher Jacob Greber pitched strong
until the fifth inning, when he began to struggle. He gave up a
leadoff triple, then issued a bases-loaded walk. By the time Greber
came out, Glencoe had put six runs on the board with four
hits.
Greber, who recently returned to the team after a severe ankle
injury, recorded a strikeout, a walk and a hit batter in the inning.
“He still has to get his arm in shape,” Molen said. “I was trying
to get him to go two or three innings. But when they start hitting
you, the pitcher starts to get down on himself.”
The Tigers looked like a different team in the second game. Glencoe
scored three runs in the first. Abby’s responded in the fourth
inning with six runs. Matt Twenge delivered a bases-loaded two-RBI
double before Austin Casey hit an RBI single to left field to tie
the game at 3-3. Brian Henson hit an RBI single, followed by
sacrifice RBI by Greber and Jay Miller.
Abby’s took its 6-3 lead into the fifth inning and Casey hit a
grand slam to left field to put the capper on the win.
“(Casey’s) swings have been good all season, but he’s just been
having a hard time with his timing,” Molen said. “If he can get his
timing down, he’ll hit it pretty well. He’s got a lot of power there
and a really quick bat.”
Casey hit a grand slam during the Newberg High School season, as
well as a long home run to left field at North Salem June 21.
“For him, it’s all about timing,” Molen said. “His mechanics are
good and he needs to keep his head down a little bit, but it’s just
all about timing for him.”
Molen said he thought a reason for the win was Newberg’s
pitching. In five innings, Levi Fletcher and Wright combined for
five strikeouts, two hits and a walk.
“When our pitchers are throwing strikes, it seems like we go up to
the plate with more confidence,” Molen said. “We know we can get
them out in the next inning and so we’re more confident at the
plate.”
Abby’s returns to action at 9:30 a.m. today (Saturday), followed by
a 9:30 a.m. game Sunday at the Star Spangled Banner tournament at
Corvallis High School. The Tigers will play Monday at a
to-be-determined time. |
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From
July 2, 2005, Newberg Graphic
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