Bulldogs take two

By ROGER THOMAS, Courier correspondent

June 30, 2009 01:56 am

— OTTUMWA — The Ottumwa Bulldog baseball team backed two solid pitching performances with plenty of offense to sweep Des Moines Lincoln 15-0 and 4-3 in CIML Metro action Monday night at Legion Field. The two wins move the Bulldogs to 9-5 in Metro Conference action.
Adam Goodvin pitched a four-inning, two-hit shutout in game one. The Bulldogs jumped on the visiting Rails for seven runs in their first at bat. Game, set, match. Whatever fight the visitors came to town with was gone after one inning.
Ottumwa’s Ben Lott led off the game with one of his two first-game hits. One out later, the barrage of runs started. A Lincoln error was followed by an RBI single by Kyle Ward. After Daniel Goodvin walked, Seth Jones singled in another run and Zach Throckmorton had a sacrifice fly for an RBI.
The big hit of the first innin was a two-RBI triple by Brandon Enloe. The inning closed with a hit batsman, another Lincoln error, and RBI singles by Lott and Jake Steinbach.
Ottumwa head coach Ryan Woods talked about his team’s play of late.
“Starting with the big win (over then second-ranked Sioux City North) last weekend, I really have seen us swing the bats better, especially early. Those leads are huge for our starting pitchers,” said Woods.
The Bulldogs failed to score in the second but came back to add three in the home third. Adam Goodvin led off with a walk and pinch runner J.C. Salter would score one out later on a wild pitch. Chris Cordray drew a one-out walk and Steinbach’s second hit put runners at the corners. Kyle Ward’s second hit, a two-RBI double, cleared the bases and put the Bulldogs up, 10-0.
“I don’t remember always hitting this well against Lincoln. Tonight I just felt good. It’s easy to have a good game when everybody is hitting,” commented Ward.
The Bulldogs ended it in the fourth. Lincoln’s third pitcher was tagged for five runs and never recorded an out. The final onslaught started with back-to-back singles by Enloe and Adam Goodvin. Lott reached on a error to load the bases. Another Lincoln error scored a run and Steinbach delivered a single to drive in two more. Ward, the next hitter, picked up his fourth RBI with a single. After a walk to pinch hitter Weston Mittchell, the game-stopper scored as Jones was hit by a pitch to plate run number 15.
“We told our guys how important these games with Lincoln were for seeding in our substate,” added Woods.
In game two, Lincoln put themselves in a hole early. They chose to start the pitcher who was treated to a five-run inning to end game one. This strategy lasted one inning.
As he did in game one, Lott started the Bulldog first with a single. Lott would steal second, and score on a single by Cordray. One out later, Ward picked up his fifth RBI of the doubleheader by grounding out to short.
The Bulldogs were back at it in the second. Lott and Cordray triggered the two-out rally. Lott picked up hit number four for the night.
“I don’t know if I’d say I was streaking. I think I’ve been able to get a hit or two in each game — or at least in the doubleheader,” said Lott.
With two runners on, Cordray drove in runs three and four for the Bulldogs. His triple found the gap and went clear to the wall. Cordray was one of only a couple of Bulldogs who didn’t get a hit in game one.
“I really made it a goal to have a good game after the first one. Seeing all of our guys hitting really helps,” Cordray said.
The Bulldogs’ only baserunner over the next three innings was a single by Throckmorton. Bulldog game two starter, Seth Jones, blanked the Rails over the same three innings. In fact, he struck out the side in the fourth. After five the Bulldogs led 4-0.
The visitors made it a game in the top of the sixth. For the first time all night, the visitors got some good swings against Ottumwa pitching. Dillan Egr led off the sixth with a deep solo home run to right center. After the next hitter walked, Kyle Simpson’s home run to left cut the score to 4-3 Ottumwa. Jones would retire the next three hitters and the home team tried to build on the one-run lead in the bottom of the inning.
Ottumwa had two baserunners but left them stranded. The inning included a Lincoln error and Throckmorton’s second hit.
After Jones walked the first batter to start the seventh, Ward was called on to finish it. His one-two-three work picked up the save, got the win for Jones, and moved the Bulldogs to two games over .500.
“I can’t remember a season in my time here in Ottumwa where we beat Lincoln all four games. These were big wins for us,” said Woods.
The Bulldogs are back in action tonight as they host Mt. Pleasant in single JV and varsity games.
Ottumwa 15, Des Moines Lincoln 0
DML 000 0 — 0 2 4
Ott 703 5 — 15 12 0
Des Moines Lincoln battery — Marcus Walcyzk (L) (2/3 IP, 5H, 7R, 4ER, 1K, 1BB), Matthew Best (2 1/3 IP, 3H, 3R, 3ER, 3K, 4BB), Jason Cotter (0IP, 4H, 5R, 1ER, 0K, 1BB), Trey Alessio catching.
Hits — Dillon Jones 1-for-1, Jon Shockley 1-for-1.
RBI — none. Runs — none.
Ottumwa battery — Adam Goodvin (W) (4IP, 2H, 0R, 0ER, 1K, 2BB), Enloe catching.
2B — Ward.
3B — Enloe.
Hits —Lott 2 -for-4, Steinbach 3-for-4, Ward 3-for-4, Jones 1-for-2, Enloe 2-for-3, A. Goodvin 1-for-1.
RBI — Lott, Steinbach 3, Ward 4, Jones 2, Throckmorton, Enloe 2. Runs — Lott 2, Cordray 2, Steinbach 3, Ward, Daniel Goodvin, Jones, Justin Rusch 2, Salter 3.
Ottumwa 4, Des Moines Lincoln 3
DML 000 003 0 — 3 5 1
Ott 220 000 0 — 4 6 0
Des Moines Lincoln battery — Cotter (L) (1IP, 2H, 2R, 2ER, 0K, 0BB), Chris Lambert (4IP, 3H, 2R, 2ER, 2K, 1BB), Egr (1IP, 1H, 0R, 0ER, 1K, 0BB), Simpson catching.
HR — Egr, Simpson.
Hits —Egr 1-for-4, Simpson 1-for-3, Lambert 1-for-3, Shockley 1-for-3, Steven Baldus 1-for-3.
RBI — Egr, Simpson 2. Runs — Egr, Adam Webb, Simpson.
Ottumwa battery — Jones (W) (6IP, 5H, 3R, 3ER, 6K, 2BB), Ward (SV) (1IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 0K, 0BB) A. Goodvin catching.
3B — Cordray.
Hits — Lott 2-for-3, Chris Cordray 2-for-3, Throckmorton 2-for-3.
RBI — Cordray 3, Ward. Runs — Lott 2, Cordray, Weston Mittchell.