WHEATLAND - Macks Creek and Weaubleau engaged in a pitcher's duel on Monday night, with the Tiger's coming away with a 1-0 over the Pirates.
Weaubleau's Freddie Wieder led off the top of the first with a triple to right-center field. He would be picked off by the pitcher during the next at bat. Two strike outs and Macks Creek starter had escaped the inning unscathed.
In bottom of the inning Grant English doubled with two outs and moved to third on a wild pitch. Back-to-back strike outs by the Tiger's hurler Cameron Ott left English stranded at third.
Following a quick 1-2-3 top of the second, Macks Creek looked to cross the plate. Colten Walter walked to lead off the inning. On the next batter he moved to second on a wild pitch. The throw from the catcher sailed into center and Walter tried to advance to third but was cut down by a strong throw by the center fielder for out number one. Oscar Cortez and Tanner Smith would then draw back-to-back walks. Both runners would steal third before Carsen Strutz walked to load the bases. A strike out and a ground out to second ended the Pirate threat.
The game would go back-and-forth over the next few innings with the pitchers matching zeroes on the scoreboard. Weaubleau was almost able to score in the fifth. Tate Burkhart singled and stole second base before a balk call moved him to third. Sam Rutherford then laid down a bunt down the first baseline. Pirates' pitcher Hunter Lane pounced on the ball and made an accurate throw to catcher Cole Register, who applied the tag to Burkhart and kept the run from scoring. Rutherford would steal second but a strike out and a fly out to center would end the inning.
In the bottom of the fifth Grant English collected his second hit of the night when he singled to center with two outs. He moved to second on a passed ball to put himself into scoring position. A fly out to deep right field off the bat of Lane would be caught and English would be stranded at second.
Weaubleau was finally able to crack the scoreboard in the sixth. Cadan Kauffman and Treyton Foster both were hit-by-a-pitch with one out to put runners at first and second. Cameron Ott then lifted a soft fly ball just into center. Kauffman raced from second to home on the play where the throw was late. Foster, who had held up at first, was forced out at second base. Ott has collected the RBI on the fielder's choice and the Tigers now held a 1-0 lead.
Macks Creek drew a walk in the bottom of the sixth when Colten Walter worked back from an 0-2 count but he would remain stranded at first. Weaubleau went quietly in the top of the seventh and the Pirates went 1-2-3 to end the game.
"This was a classic pitcher's duel where the team that scored first would probably win," said Macks Creek skipper Jason Trusty, "we just happened to come out on the short end tonight."
Hunter Lane (1-1) worked the complete game in taking the loss. The right-hander allowed one run on three hits while striking out seven, walking one, and hitting two batters.
Freddie Wieder picked up the win in relief of starter Cameron Ott. He worked the final three-and-two-thirds of an inning, striking out four, walking two, and allowing one hit. Ott had worked the first three-and-a-third innings, striking out seven, walking five, and allowing one hit as well.
Grant English collected the only two hits for the Pirates, doubling in the first and then singling in the fifth. Colten Walter and Oscar Cortez walked twice while Cole Register, Tanner Smith, and Carsen Strutz each walked once.
Freddie Wieder tripled, Tate Burkhart singled, and Briar Tucker also singled for the only three hits of the night for the Tigers. Wieder also walked. Cadan Kauffman was hit-by-a-pitch and scored a run, Treyton Foster was beaned, Cameron Ott collected an RBI on a fielder's choice, and Sam Rutherford reached on a fielder's choice and an error.
Macks Creek suffers their first loss of the season to fall to 3-1 while at time of the article Weaubleau had improved to 3-4. They were playing a double-header and their second game was against Wheatland. Macks Creek will take on Wheatland tomorrow (Tuesday) night at 4:15 in pool play.
VARSITY BOX SCORE
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
WHS 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 3 0
MC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1