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2009-11-21

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2009-11-05

Agriculture

Lifestyles

Thursday, June 25, 2009 10:36 AM

Ottawa Legion AA overcomes errors with bats, patience in box

Thunder bats

By Greg Mast/Herald Sports Editor

EMPORIA — The Ottawa American Legion AA baseball team can wear out pitching staffs.

The Ottawa squad can make up mistakes on defense and pitching with its overpowering offense, which continued to batter foes Wednesday night in Emporia.

Ottawa came up with several key two-out hits and then parlayed nine walks into a nine-run sixth inning in a 16-4 win in six innings over Emporia at Soden’s Grove.

The nightcap was called in the top of the second inning with Ottawa leading 3-2 because of a pending thunderstorm.

Ottawa shortstop Corbin Goedert said patience is the key in the batters box.

“We wait for a pitch we like,” he said after a three-RBI performance.

Ottawa scored six of its first seven runs with two outs. Goedert said those things can be contagious throughout the team.

“Somebody gets a hit ... everybody wants to pick each other up,” he said.

Ottawa coach Shawn Herrmann said his team appears to have runners in scoring position all game long this season.

“We always have guys on with two outs,” Herrmann said. “Two-out hits will always be huge for us.”

No matter the final score, Ottawa did not play its best baseball. Ottawa struggled in the field. Ottawa ace Jake Moore did not have best stuff.

Ottawa struggled with fly ball outs early against Emporia, which led 2-1 after the first inning and 4-3 after three innings.

Herrmann said Ottawa did not play up to the standards he has for his team.

“The first three innings, we had fly ball after fly ball,” he said. “We got lazy. Jake did not have his best stuff.”

Ottawa committed two errors in the first inning. Moore had a walk and hit two batters in the third that led to two runs.

Moore finished with seven strikeouts in five innings. Blake Firestone worked the sixth inning.

Ottawa grabbed a hold of the game with a four-run fourth inning. Corbin Goedert laced a two-RBI single to left. Chase Dengel followed with an RBI single and Moore delivered an RBI double.

Ottawa put the game away with the big sixth inning. Ottawa had just three hits. Connor Goedert had a two-run single. Firestone ripped an RBI double and later scored on a wild pitch.

“Their pitching was not going to hold us down,” Herrmann said. “We had to link our hits together.”

Ottawa (16-0) plays a doubleheader tonight at Louisburg.

Herrmann is looking for Ottawa to put the whole game together.

“I want to see the total package ... hitting, pitching and defense,” he said. “Not just pieces.”

Greg Mast can be reached at sports@ottawaherald.com. Comment on this story at ottawaherald.com.