Triad baseball plays across three states
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Caption: Photo by Anthony Jones: Nic Funk looks to avoid a tag at the plate against Jersey.
By Anthony Jones
sports.times.tribune@gmail.com
Baseball can be unpredictable.
That certainly was the case last Wednesday when Jersey was perfect through two frames, but ultimately lost 11-1 in a short game at Triad.
The Panthers scored first in the conference matchup, taking advantage of the wind to send a solo homerun over the left field fence. Not only would this prove to be their lone run, it was also one of three hits Jersey would record off Nic Funk.
Triad’s first base runner came in the bottom of the third, when McGrady Noyes reached base after an overthrow to first base. Wyatt Suter and Brady Coon later hit balls into play to help Noyes tie the game at 1-1.
The Knight offense opened the game up in the bottom of the fourth with a ten-run rally.
Their offensive explosion began after Donny Becker picked up two RBI off a bases loaded double. Triad’s next two at-bats resulted in outs, before Donny Becker stole home after a failed throw to catch Wyatt Suter stealing second.
Hayden Bugger continued the rally after a hard hit ball to centerfield left him at third and Triad ahead 5-1. He was subsequently driven in by a Wyatt Bugger home run well beyond the left field fence.
Jersey turned to a relief pitcher to end their disastrous frame, but that did not stop Funk and Becker delivering RBI hits to jump ahead 11-1.
“I was starting to wonder there for a second with the 20 mile per hour gusts and they got the homerun. We were hitting them a lot, but it was just one of those days in baseball. It was strange, but eventually with some balls dropped in for us,” Coach Jesse Bugger broke down the league showdown.
Drew Winslow replaced Funk on the mound for the top of the fifth and held the Panthers scoreless to enact mercy rules for an 11-1 final. Winslow added two strikeouts in his outing.
Two days prior, the Knights defeated the Panthers on the home field. Triad won 9-0 in that Mississippi Valley contest.
Austin Brown finished with 14 strikeouts in a two-hit, complete game in Jerseyville. Hayden Bugger gave him run support with three RBI and Noyes drove in two runs as well.
Later in the week, Triad played in Kentucky on Friday and Missouri on Saturday.
Bugger talked about playing out of state, “It’s nice to get out and see somebody different and have the boys together for a couple of days. It has seemed to help us in the past. We also want to practice taking a road trip just in case we get to take another one.”
The Knights allowed just nine runs in their three out of state games, but lost all three by scores of 4-2, 2-0 and 3-2. Their opponents over the weekend were McCracken County, Kelly and Helias.
The now 14-7 Knights have set their eyes on defending their 4-0 Mississippi Valley lead in their upcoming contests.
“We’re about to hit the meat and potatoes of the schedule and find out a lot about ourselves. We’re working at it and I think we’re heading in the right direction,” their manager said of their upcoming action.
That stretch begins with an April 24 in Mascoutah before hosting the Indians two days later. A May 1 visit to Highland and May 3 hosting of the Bulldogs is also on the horizon.
Mascoutah currently stands at 3-1 and in second place in the league standings. Highland is also within striking range at 2-2.
