Moline sweeps away Rocks
Rock Island Argus
April 21, 2003 11:09 PM
By Shannon Heaton
Staff sports writer
Rock Island was the home team, but it was
visiting Moline that looked far more comfortable Monday afternoon.
The Maroons jumped out to an early 5-0 lead
and extended that lead with six runs in the sixth inning, beating the host Rocks in the
second game of a Western Big 6 Conference doubleheader Monday, 12-1 in six innings. Moline
won the first game Saturday, 1-0, before heavy rain postponed the second game.
``I thought our swings were pretty good;
the wind blowing out adds some length,'' Moline coach Derek Lindauer said. ``I actually
thought both teams would put a lot of runs on the board.''
The victory gave the Maroons (6-2, 2-0 WB6)
the early jump in the league standings. Galesburg (7-1, 1-0) will try to match Moline's
conference start at home today against United Township (3-4, 0-1), while Alleman (10-1)
and Quincy are playing both ends of a make-up doubleheader that was washed out by rain on
Saturday.
``It was a solid effort,'' Lindauer said.
``But who knows what will happen tomorrow? I couldn't tell you. You're talking about young
kids here.''
Anchoring the Moline effort was the solid
pitching of senior Brandon Engle, who went the distance in allowing only five hits -- all
singles. Rock Island's lone run came when the Zach Norris was awarded home plate on an
interference call.
Engle threw just 70 pitches, 46 for
strikes, and allowed one walk in the sixth inning.
``When I have run support, I can relax and
pitch my game, and not let the hitters work the counts. I can go out and have fun,'' Engle
said. ``This is huge for us. Rock Island has a quality team, and it's always a great
rivalry between the schools. So to beat them is huge.''
Almost every Maroon in the lineup got some
quality swings at the plate against the Rocks. The Maroons scored in every inning but the
first, with all but one batter collecting at least one hit.
Senior Scott Shattuck reached base in all
four of his plate appearances, collecting three hits and a walk, scoring three times; Jeff
Fobert was 3-for-4; and Jake Bevans 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles, two RBI and a pair of
successful sacrifice bunts.
``Our bunting and baserunning was as good
as it can get today,'' Lindauer said. ``Jake Bevans also did a great job behind the plate.
He's caught Brandon and (Saturday starter) Andrew (Porter) since he was eight years old,
so he knows them inside and out.''
Mistakes of all kinds plagued the Rocks
(12-5, 0-2), who committed four errors on defense and put themselves into a hole with
baserunning errors as well. That didn't sit well with Rock Island coach Andy Campbell, nor
did his team's lack of intensity.
``We just didn't play Rock Island baseball.
I'm disappointed that we didn't come out with fire in our bellies, and I'm to blame for
that. It's totally my responsibility, and it'll get fixed,'' Campbell said. ``We made some
mistakes we haven't made all season. But I'm not worried about the guys. These guys are
really tough.''
Baseball Nuts Report
April 21,2003
Rochelle 12, Rock Island 11
Rock Island Argus
April 23, 2003 Prep Baseball
- - Moline 6, RI 0: Moline (7-2) got
seven innings of two-hit, shutout pitching from David Krismanits (1-0) and a grand slam
from Scott Shattuck in the sixth that kept the Maroons on the winning side of Rock Island
(11-6) in the non-conference match-up. Rocky also committed three errors in falling to
Moline for the third time in four days.
|
