By Steve Krah
PBR Indiana Correspondent

Follow @PBRIndiana

LAPORTE — Coach Scott Rost has been telling his LaPorte High School players about the expectations and the never-say-die spirit of the program.

On Saturday, April 23 at Schreiber Field, LaPorte scored twice times in the bottom of the seventh inning for a 4-3 non-conference victory against visiting Plymouth. 

“Now you know what Slicer Baseball is all about,” Upp told his players in the home dugout after LaPorte moved to 10-2 and sent Plymouth to 5-4 on the 2016 season. 

Moments early, Upp addressed Prep Baseball Report Indiana. 

“We just talked about that the other day,” Upp said. “Now, maybe they understand what it’s like to be part of that mystique.” 

While the Slicers had made solid contact all afternoon, they had not gotten much going against Pilgrims senior Jeremy Splix (0-1; 6 innings, 4 runs, 7 hits, 1 strikeout, 1 walk). The left-hander, making his first start, retired the lead-off hitter in the first, second, third, fifth and sixth innings. 

“We talk about that all the time — the first strike and the first out,” Upp said. “As a pitcher, you want to get Strike 1 on that first pitch and it gives you more options. The same thing with defensive innings. You get that first guy, it seems like things go much better. It certainly helps.” 

Before Saturday, the stout southpaw had only thrown a few innings for Plymouth this spring. 

“Jeremy was just phenomenal,” Pilgrims coach Ryan Wolfe said. “One of our keys is getting that lead-off guy out.” 

LaPorte had just two runners and two singles (one of the infield variety) in the first four frames before it got its first run in the fifth inning.  

“We swang the bats well all day,” Upp said. “We just had at-em balls. We hit he ball hard more than we didn’t and that’s what you’re looking for. It wasn’t poor day hitting, we just didn’t find the spots.” 

A two-out RBI single to center by sophomore Will Malekovic drove in senior Tanner Hill (on base by walk and at second via a groundout by junior Andy Samuelson). 

Senior right fielder Jordan Fadke made a running catch toward the foul line to retire senior Caleb Mikesell in the seventh inning. 

Slicer mystique struck in the bottom of the seventh. 

Senior Travis Upp started the rally with an infield single followed by double to left on a 3-1 pitch by junior Jon Williams. 

With the infield playing halfway, Hill served the first pitch he saw back up the middle for a two-run single to score Upp and Williams and tie the game at 3-all. Plymouth senior shortstop Cam Eveland ran into the base umpire on the play. 

“When we saw the ball go through, then we were going to go,” Upp said of his runners at second and third. “That’s baseball. You’re bound to see something different every game.” 

Wolfe explained the idea behind the defensive strategy. 

“Our infield’s good enough that we figured if we got a groundball we could hold them to one run and they ended up tying it up,” Wolfe said.  

Junior right-hander Nate Nixon (2/3 innings, 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 strikeout, 0 walks) relieved Splix. After Samuelson reached on a sacrifice and error, the next two LaPorte batters were retired.  

Sophomore Caleb Rettinger was hit by a Nixon pitch to load the bases and Fadke was plunked to force in Hill with the winning run. 

In the meeting of possible Class 4A South Bend Clay Sectional opponents, the Pilgrims scored twice in the third inning against senior right-hander Jake Watterson (3-0; 7 innings, 3 runs, 8 hits, 2 strikeouts, 0 walks). 

“Jake did a nice job of throwing strikes,” Upp said after an outing in which Watterson retired the side in order in the second and sixth and seventh innings. 

Sophomore Jeremy Drudge pulled a first-pitch RBI single to right field, scoring junior Colten Schuler (on base by error). 

Senior Braydon Davidson lashed a run-scoring single to left, plating Mikesell (on with a one-out double to left). 

Plymouth took a 3-0 lead with one run in the fourth. 

With one out, Nixon rolled an RBI single in the hole between first and second to knock in Eveland (on base with a lead-off single to center). 

Plymouth flashed the leather in the bottom of the fourth. Pilgrims left fielder Drudge made a diving catch of an opposite field shot off the bat of Upp and then threw to second baseman Mikesell to double off LaPorte senior baserunner Brogan Briggs (on second with a fielder’s choice and error). 

“We deserved a better outcome,” Wolfe said. “But we battled and I am proud of them.” 

The game’s lone multi-hit performance was turned in by Pligrims right-swinger Davidson (3-of-4). 

Goshen visits Plymouth in Northern Lakes Conference play Monday, April 25. LaPorte goes to Portage for a Duneland Athletic Conference game Tuesday, April 26.