Martin Oil manager Ed Davis has been preaching all season long to his team that to win this season the kids need good pitching, solid defense and hitting in key spots, to go along with more team speed than Davis has ever seen at the federation level. On Tuesday night at Vets Field, Martin Oil opened the George B. Kelley Federation semifinal playoff round with a 7-3 triumph over ReMax using every one of those weapons.
Zach Stere delivered the early offense hitting a two-run, two-out first inning triple and slamming a two-out-two-run double in the third inning to stake Martin Oil to a 4-0 advantage.
Dan Houser and Troy Beaver drew consecutive one-out walks to begin the game before Stere dumped a hit into short right field a batter later. The ReMax second baseman and right fielder converged on the ball, but neither could catch it and when it rolled past the outfielder, Stere, never hesitating, hustled all the way to third base. In the third, Jordan Taylor opened the frame with a walk, before Dan Houser dropped a perfect bunt down the third base line to put runners at first and third with Taylor advancing two bases on the play. Houser stole second base and with two outs again, Stere connected to deep left center field for a two-bagger that scored both Taylor and Houser.
Nate Carlson tossed the complete-game victory for Martin Oil scattering five hits allowing three runs, two earned, striking out eight and walking four. Martin Oil pitching has now allowed just two earned runs in the first three games of the playoffs and 16 hits with 17 Ks and six walks.
“Nate really threw a good game out there tonight,” said Davis. “He was in pretty good control, a couple walks hurt, he had about eight strikeouts. All-in-all, I think he pitched a super ballgame. He was in command of most of his pitches for the entire game. For the most part, he really was outstanding on the mound.”
Carlson allowed single tallies in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings, with the last unearned on Martin Oil’s single error of the game and a sac fly. Two of the five basehits never left the infield.
Jon Milliron walked with one out in the fourth for ReMax, moved around to third on a single to right by Jeremy Knapp and scored on an infield single by Ryan Glunt. Knapp and Glunt led ReMax with two singles apiece.
In the fifth, Damien Williams led off with a walk. Greg Geist hit into a fielder’s choice that Martin Oil was unable to turn into an out. Losing pitcher Mike Rodriquez singled to right to score Williams, but a perfect centerfielder Jordan Taylor-to-catcher Shawn Weiand-to-shortstop Troy Beaver relay caught Geist too far off the second base bag for the first out of the inning. Stere helped Carlson get out of the inning without further damage. On the front end of a double play, Stere fielded the bouncer in the baseline, tug the runner as he tried to get by and then threw on to first base in time to get the batter.
In the seventh, Shawn Campbell was safe on the one Martin Oil error of the game, was moved to second on a ground out and stole third with Martin Oil simply ignoring him, then scored on a sac fly by Geist.
Martin Oil used their speed to score their final three runs. Jordan Taylor beat out an infield single with two outs in he bottom of the sixth inning and advanced to second when the ReMax shortstop threw the ball away trying to get him at first. While Houser was batting, a Rodriquez pitch got away from ReMax catcher Geist, who hadn’t a clue about where the ball went. Martin Oil third base coach Bill Edevane who alertly saw neither the pitcher or first baseman was hustling for the lose ball, sent Taylor home to score on a wild pitch, going two bases on the play.
With Martin Oil up 5-2, Troy Beaver reached on an error and stole second base. Adam Plummer smashed a shot that the ReMax center fielder dove for, but couldn’t come up with. Beaver scored and Plummer sped all the way around the bases for an inside-the-park homerun.
“Our bats weren’t real sharp tonight,” said Davis. “That’s been worrying me for the past couple days. We just haven’t been real sharp hitting. Zach had a couple big two-out hits, a big double and big triple that got us four runs. Then Adam Plummer had a hit that got us two runs. Our baserunning was outstanding, Jordan Taylor scored on a wild pitch from second base. Those kind of things, you don’t expect. Zach had another super game in the field, two outstanding plays, one to end the fifth inning on the double play, then again he robbed a batter of a basehit with a great catch to begin the sixth. The kids are hanging tough. I think the hitting will come the longer we can hang in there. Right now all-in-all, I think we are playing really good ball.”
Martin Oil 7 ReMax 3
REMAX- Williams, 2b, 2-1-0, G. Geist, c, 3-0-0; Deyarmin, cr, 0-0-0; Rodriquez, p, 4-0-1; Salyards, rf, 2-0-0; Milliron, cf, 2-1-0; Knapp, 3b, 3-0-2; Zeak, 1b, 2-0-0; Green, ph, 1-0-0; Glunt, lf, 3-0-2; Campbell, ss, 3-1-0. TOTALS 25-3-5.
MARTIN OIL- Taylor, cf, 3-2-1; Houser, lf, 3-2-1; Beaver, ss, 2-2-0; A. Plummer, 1b, 3-1-1; Stere, 2b, 3-0-2; Carlson, p, 2-0-0; M. Plummer, cr, 0-0-0; Der. Miller, 3b, 3-0-0; Weiand, c, 3-0-1; Sprankle, cr, 0-0-0; Dam. Miller, rf, 3-0-0. TOTALS 25-7-6.
ReMax 000 110 1 3-5-2.
Martin Oil 202 120 X 7-6-1.
2B: MO- Stere 1.
3B: MO- Stere 1.
HR: MO- A. Plummer 1.
RBI: REM- Geist 1, Rodriquez 1, Glunt 1, MO- Stere 4, Plummer 2.
SO: REM- Rodriquez 3, MO- Carlson 8.
BB: REM- Rodriquez 4, MO- Carlson 4.
WP: Carlson LP: Rodriquez
