Logansport, LaPorte split doubleheader

 

By Steve Krah

PBR Indiana Correspondent 

LOGANSPORT — A clutch hit by Riley Hershberger helped Logansport to a high school baseball doubleheader split Saturday, April 1 against visiting LaPorte. 

Hershberger’s two-run single to center field with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning was the game-winning hit as the Berries bested the Slicers 4-3 in Game 2 on the turf at Jim Turner Field. 

“We were fortunate to get some guys on base and started moving the ball a little bit,” Logansport coach Jim Turner said of the last inning. “We hadn’t really moved the ball all day. We had 15 strikeouts on the day.  

“We were able to put the ball in play. We were taking too long of swings early.” 

Matt Jennings (double to right) and Colten Rozzi (single to right) scored the tying and winning runs. 

Logansport (1-1) had pulled to within 3-2 when Zach White rapped a one-out single to left and later scored on Jennings’ double.  

The Slicers were 8-1 winners in Game 1. Left-handers Andy Samuelson and Chandler Banic held Berry bats in check most of the way and Nolan Lorenz drove in two runs for LaPorte (2-1). 

“Andy and (Game 2 starter) Jon (Williams) both did an excellent job,” Slicers coach Scott Upp said. “In order to keep them for Tuesday and Wednesday (in Duneland Athletic Conference games), we couldn’t go over 80 pitches (based on the new pitch count rule).” 

Samuelson and Williams threw a couple innings apiece in a 7-1 season-opening win Tuesday, March 28 at New Prairie. 

For the day, Will Malekovic went 4-of-7, Caleb Rettinger 3-of-6 and 

Peyton Riehle 3-of-7 for LaPorte. Hershberger went 3-of-7 for Logansport. 

“That was good to see,” Upp said. “Our first game, we had five hits and four of them were infield hits. We went out of the infield for some hits today.” 

The Berries came back from a 3-0 deficit to win the second game. 

LaPorte left runners at second and third in a scoreless second inning in Game 2. All three outs in the inning were strikeouts by Logansport right-hander Hershberger. 

After going down in order in the first two frames, LaPorte produced one run in the third. 

Riehle’s two-out infield single plated Samuelson (on by single to right). The Slicers left the bases loaded. 

The Berries produced their first baserunner in the third when Hardy reached by error. Slicers catcher Malekovic threw out courtesy runner Jacob Cox attempting to steal second base. 

Logansport turned a double play for the first two outs in scoreless LaPorte fourth inning. Shortstop Tucker Platt forced Gabriel Silfa-Brens (on by single to center) then fired to first baseman Weston Record. 

The Berries got their first hit off right-hander Williams on a two-out roller to short by Hershberger in the fourth inning.  

The third out was recorded one the same play when shortstop Rettinger threw behind the runner to get a tag out by second baseman Riehle. 

With one out in the fifth, a two-run double to right by Malekvoic helped the Slicers take a 3-0 lead. Williams (single to center) and Lorenz (on base by fielder’s choice) scored the runs. 

Right-hander Platt relieved Hershberger (0-1; 4 1/3 innings, 3 runs, 7 hits, 4 strikeouts, 2 walks) with one out in the fifth. 

The Berries got on the scoreboard in the fifth, cutting the gap to 3-1. A two-out RBI single to right by pinch hitter Brantlen Collins knocked in Branden Wilson (on base with lead-off single to center). 

Williams held Logansport to the single, racking up an inning-ending strikeout with the bases loaded. 

In the LaPorte sixth, Rettinger rapped a one-out double down the left field line. One out later, Williams pushed Rettinger to third with an infield single. A strikeout by winning pitcher Platt (2 2/3 innings, 0 runs, 2 hits, 2 strikeouts, 0 walks) finished off a score-free inning. 

“Overall, we hit pretty decent, but we didn’t make adjustments against (Platt),” Upp said. “He didn’t have a lot of velocity on the baseball and we didn’t do a good job of waiting. We weren’t patient and started beating balls into the ground or popping things up. 

“But hitting is a game of adjustments. It’s legal for a guy to throw 95 and it’s legal for guy to throw 75.” 

Left-hander Noah Mathias relieved Williams (5 innings, 1 run, 3 hits, 9 strikeouts, 3 walks) to begin the sixth. 

The Berries stranded a runner at second base in the sixth. Hershberger reached base on a fielder’s choice and moved to second on a balk. Mathias persuaded Logansport into a flyout and groundout to conclude the stanza. 

Logansport collected four hits in the seventh against losing pitcher Mathias (1-1; 1 2/3 innings, 3 runs, 5 hits, 1 strikeouts, 1 walks) to center field for a two-run single  

In the first game, LaPorte scored one run in the top of the first inning. 

Rettinger led off the game with a double to right field, moved to third  on a Williams flyout to right and scored on a Lorenz sacrifice fly to right. 

“Caleb starts us off with a double and gets us going,” Upp said. “Hitting’s kind of contagious. You get guys up there to swing the bat. For some reason when guys start getting hits, other guys start getting hits. I don’t understand it, but it seems like that happens often.” 

The Slicers added one run in the second frame. 

Banic drew a lead-off walk, moved to second on a passed ball and to third on a Malekovic sacrifice bunt. A Mathias groundout to first base plated Banic. 

Logansport put two runners on with no outs in a scoreless second inning. 

LaPorte turned a double play — shortstop Rettinger to second baseman Riehle to first baseman Williams — and Samuelson coaxed an inning-ending groundout. 

The Slicers went scoreless in the third. 

Lorenz opened the inning by drawing a walk, but was quickly retired trying to steal second base on a peg from Berries catcher Jacob Hardy. 

Logansport stranded a runner at third base in the third.  

Rozzi reached base on a fielder’s choice, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch before a flyout ended the threat. 

LaPorte took a 5-0 lead fourth. 

Banic (infield single) and Malekovic (single to right) both scored bases-loaded walks by left-hander Record.  

Williams’ groundout drove in Mathias (on base by walk) for the fifth tally. 

Right-hander Zach White (3 2/3 innings, 3 runs, 2 hits, 1 strikeout, 2 walks) relieved losing pitcher Record  (0-1; 3 1/3 innings, 5 runs, 5 hits, 2 strikeouts, 5 walks) with one out in the fourth. 

The Berries broke through for one run in the fifth.

With one out, Hardy socked a single to center. Courtesy runner Cox moved to second base on a wild pitch, third on a White single to right and scored on a Jennings single to center. 

After scoring the first run, Logansport had the bases loaded with one out but could get no more. Samuelson fanned a batter for the second out and second baseman Riehle made a diving stop and throw to retire Platt and end the rally. 

The Slicers scored three times in the sixth. 

Malekovic (single to left) and Mathias (on base by walk) scored on the same play. Samuelson singled to the hole at second base to score Malekovic. An errant scored allowed Mathias to score. 

Lorenz ripped a double to center to score Samuelson with LaPorte’s eighth run. 

Left-hander Banic (2 innings, 0 runs, 0 hits, 3 strikeouts, 0 walks) relieved winner Samuelson (1-0; 5 innings, 1 run, 4 hits, 4 strikeouts, 1 walk) to open the sixth and retired all six batters he faced. 

This season marks the second with a synthetic surface for the Berries. 

“We love it,” Turner said. “In January, our guys came out a couple times to play T-ball games. With our old game, we would not have played today. I can tell you that (with all the rain the past two days). This has just been a blessing.” 

No longer needing to take the time to drag an infield, wield a rake or rider a mower has been another plus. 

“I actually know what my wife looks like,” Turner said. 

South Bend Washington visits LaPorte Monday, April 3. Lafayette Jeff goes to Logansport Tuesday, April 4.