By RYAN WALKER
The game of baseball is played on a diamond, but Norwell played chess in its 5-0 win over Bluffton.
This was the home opener for the now 5-2 Knights, and they used baserunning, stellar pitching and even a rare suicide squeeze to slowly bind the Tigers (3-5).
Norwell took advantage of Bluffton’s first-inning blunder, missing a pop fly in the infield to place Noah Schamerloh on the base path. Lane Lewis drove him on an RBI single to strike first.
Then, in the third inning, Drew Graft swiped second and advanced twice more on passed balls to lead 2-0.
The mistakes were costing the Tigers early, who seemingly needed to play perfectly to try and steal a victory over their county rival. The pressure was on the offense that struggled against starting pitcher and Taylor University signee Lewis.
“They’re crucial,” Bluffton head coach Jason Pierce said about the early errors. “They set a tone. I mean, you know, we made the mistake early in the first inning just on a miscommunication on the ball. We were facing a pitcher like Lane Lewis that you’re going to be limited on the runs that you’re going to put up on him.”
Lewis stranded two runners on base twice by his sixth inning of work: once against the middle of the order when Axton Beste and Braxton Betancourt hit back-to-back singles.
On the other side, Bluffton’s southpaw was keeping his team in the game.
Griffin Morgan went toe-to-toe with Lewis in his 5.1 innings of work. The Tigers’ sophomore struck out eight Knights and allowed just five hits and three earned runs.
One of the runs came via small ball from first-year head coach Christian Bohata.
Cayden Cassel hit a leadoff double to deep centerfield and was moved over on a groundout by Korben Neuenschwander. Morgan began his motion toward home plate to Adam McBride when Cassel started to bolt down the third base line. McBride easily dropped the suicide squeeze bunt play to extend the Knights’ lead to 3-0.
“What I’ve been preaching to the guys all offseason is baseball’s all about the little things,” Bohata said. “If we can do the little things right — whether it’s getting bunts down, stealing bases, getting great jumps on steals — little stuff like that.”
As Morgan left the sixth inning, in came Cameron Williams, who dished out a strikeout to leave the door open down by three runs.
Bluffton had runners in scoring position with two outs trying to scrape a run of two with the seventh inning looming, but Lewis dialed up his 10th punchout to hold them in check.
This was the third time Lewis got out of a jam with a runner or more on base. He said that he wanted to challenge the Bluffton hitters, and didn’t want to walk them.
“I felt like I started off really good,” Lewis said. “My fastball was live. (I) got in a little bit of trouble in the middle in the middle innings, but I felt like being able to work out of it and trusting my defense behind me. I have so much confidence in everybody behind me.”
Norwell only needed one run, but got some late insurance with Cassel’s second double to the outfield wall. That scored two more runs and secured some comfort heading into the final frame.
Lewis went 1-2-3 to shut the door to earn a complete game shutout.
In his three starts this season, Lewis has yet to allow a run. He tallied 12 strikeouts in Monday night’s win to bring the season total to 24 in 18 innings.
“(His) first three starts — he’s been incredible,” Bohata said. “He’s everything we wanted out of him. He’s competing. He’s a bulldog. Even with guys on base, you saw tonight, just nothing changes. His demeanor stays the same. He just keeps filling up the strikes.”
“When Lewis’ on the mound, we’re not necessarily worried about who we’re throwing in relief,” he continued. “We’re expecting him to go seven (innings) … It’s a different feeling. I think the guys even feel it in the dugout. It’s just more of a confidence that if we scratch across three, four or five runs, we’re going to win a ballgame with Lane Lewis on the year.”
Bluffton will host Bellmont at 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 16.
Norwell will travel to Jay County at 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 16.
ryan@news-banner.com
