By RYAN WALKER
MONROE — Errors piled up for Southern Wells as the Raiders fell to Adams Central 11-1 on Monday.
The game ended in the sixth inning by mercy rule, as Jets (13-7) shortstop Keegan Bluhm drove home a pair of runs that reached base due to a throwing error. The mistake was the Raiders’ (4-17) seventh of the game, and only six of the 11 runs were earned off of the pitchers.
“We have the same issue every time, and it’s errors,” first-year head coach Evan Huffman said after the game. “It’s executing. That’s all we need to do. We execute fine in practice, and then when we get into games, it just seems like we get complacent, especially when we get down we get complacent and we’re OK with letting them hit the ball, and us keep making errors. It’s got to change.”
Southern Wells did apply pressure early with Case Boxell’s RBI fielder’s choice to take a 1-0 lead at the end of two innings. But the story of those innings wasn’t that the Raiders had the one-run lead. It was the missed opportunities.
Bryar Gearheart in the first was stranded at third base after a runner was caught attempting to steal second but didn’t slide and was called out. In the second, the bases were left loaded with only one run to show for it.
Despite the two teams being a part of the same conference, this game only counted for their regular season records. The Jets got the best of the Raiders 8-5 earlier in the season when it counted for ACAC play. This time around, Huffman was disappointed his team couldn’t jump out to a bigger lead early on to even the season series.
“We had moments where we had runners in scoring position, and we needed that line drive, Huffman said. “We needed those two runs to score in and maybe get their (Adams Central) backs against the wall a little bit, but for them having the confidence after beating us after the first round, I don’t think they ever thought they were out of that game and we needed to crank that pressure up to 10 and stomp out a lead.”
Adams Central got the bats going in the third inning after struggling to take advantage of three errors and multiple runners in scoring position. Cade Van De Weg tripled and later scored on a passed ball. Trevor Currie scattered a weak ground ball to first that he beat out to score another. Then, Hayden Bluhm grounded out on a fielder’s choice to first base that could have been an out at home, taking the 3-1 lead.
The Bluhms both scored on a wild pitch that extended the lead further, followed by Currie’s double that put the game out of reach 9-1. Keegan Bluhm hit the official walk-off double to end the game.
Pitching-wise, Radiers starter Kedrik Sonnigsen allowed three earned runs out of six, walking just two batters and giving up seven hits. The senior was efficient for the first few innings, fighting through extra pitches due to errors to keep his team in the game.
Huffman thought that he and Jenson Nusbaumber, who threw 2/3 of an inning, threw well and “played as if they were seniors.” The two combined for just one strikeout as the Jets kept the ball in play and took advantage of what the defense was giving.
“That was the key: errors early in the game. That set the tone for us early to continue to do it.”
The team will play at home against Bluffton for another non-ACAC matchup starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 16.
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