3A No. 1 SB St. Joseph Nips Plymouth 1-0

NOTRE DAME — South Bend St. Joseph had to wait to play its first game
of the 2018 high school baseball season.

But the Class 3A No. 1-ranked Indians wasted no time experiencing drama.

St. Joseph, the defending 3A state champions, edged Plymouth 1-0 in
non-conference contest Monday, March 9 on the artificial turf at the
University of Notre Dame’s Frank Eck Stadium.

The Indians scored the game’s lone run in the fourth inning. Plymouth
had the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh when the game ended.

Senior Alex Voss led off with a double to left field and was spelled
by a courtesy runner — junior Noah Hickey.

Hickey advanced to third base on a fly-out by senior Luke Houin and
scored on a two-out single to center by senior Kerry Zeese.

The last out of the inning came when senior courtesy runner Jacob Pipp
was thrown out at home plate — sophomore left fielder Thomas Dolan to
junior catcher Jackson Lee. Pipp was on base running for sophomore
catcher Brady Gumpf following an intentional walk.

Right-hander Voss (1-0; 4 innings, 0 runs, 1 hit, 2 walks, 3
strikeouts) was the winning pitcher. Gumpf was not going to let him go
more than 60 pitches.

The Indians also used junior right-hander Nick Dolniak (1 inning, 0
runs, 0 hits, 1 walk, 1 strikeout) and senior left-hander Michael
Dunkelberger (1 1/3 innings, 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 walks, 3 strikeouts).

Junior right-hander Joe Rotkis (2/3 innings, 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 walk, 2
strikeouts) relieved Dunkelberger with one out in the seventh and
earned the save.

Dolan opened the Plymouth seventh with a single to left field. That
was followed by a shallow pop and diving grab by catcher Gumpf.

A single to left by Lee put runners at the corners and Dunkelberger
was relieved by Rotkis.

The right-hander got the first batter he faced to watch a third strike
for the inning’s second out, walked junior Jesus Luva to load the
bases then nailed down the victory with another strikeout.

“We’ve got to find a way to score some runs,” said Pilgrims coach Ryan
Wolfe. “We left a lot of guys on base (Plymouth stranded six) as we
did a little bit the first game (a 4-2 season-opening loss to
Mishawaka Marian). We just couldn’t execute there at the end.

“We need to be a little more aggressive with two strikes. We took some
pitches we shouldn’t have been taking.”

Making his first varsity start, Plymouth junior right-hander Tim
Tremaine (0-1; 7 innings, 1 run, 5 hits, 2 walks, 4 strikeouts)
absorbed the loss.

“He can throw any pitch for a strike in any count,” said Wolfe. “We
thought we could pitch a little backward against these guys who were
probably sitting for dead-red fastballs. He did a great job.”

Gumpf came away impressed with Tremaine.

“Their pitcher did a good job of keeping us off-balance,” said Gumpf.
“We did a lot of good things for the first game. We did miss a couple
signs. We’ve got the get back in the groove. We’ve had a tough couple
weeks.

“I’m glad we were able to play.”

St. Joe has already had three weather-related postponements and
Plymouth had one called off.

With postponements because of sloppy field conditions around Indiana,
it may have helped in getting the game in Monday.

Last summer, Indians coach Gumpf and Wolfe talked about moving the
contest to ND with the Pilgrims serving as the home team.

While the temperature dropped below 40 degrees, the sun did peak out
through gray clouds in the middle innings.

In the St. Joe third inning, Dolniak produced the game’s first hit — a
lead-off double — before Tremaine retired the next three Indians on a
strikeout, pop-up and and fly-out.

Plymouth stranded a runner at first base in the first inning and third
base in the third.

Senior Benji Nixon drew a one-out walk prior to Voss inducing two
groundouts to end the threat in the first.

Lee walked to lead off the Pilgrim third, moved to second base on a
sacrifice bunt by sophomore Kam Vanlue and third base on Luva’s
groundout. Voss got the third out of the fame on a strikeout.

Plymouth’s first hit of the day was a two-out single to left by junior
Jacob Deacon in the bottom of the fourth inning.

After a wild pitch that allowed Deacon to move to second base, Voss
closed out the inning with a strikeout.

In the Indian fifth, junior Andrew Washburn dropped down a two-out
bunt single and was picked off — pitcher Tremaine to senior first
baseman Noah Pesak to junior second baseman Cam Dennie.

Dolniak replaced Voss on the mound in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Lee got an infield single and Luva coaxed a walk. Courtesy runner Nick
Spier and Luva were left on base with Dolniak racking up an
inning-ending strikeout.

Dunkelberger came in to pitch for St. Joe to open the Plymouth sixth
and struck out the side.

In the St. Joe seventh, Zeese reached on an error and courtesy runner
Hickey was thrown out attempting to steal — catcher Lee to second
baseman Dennie — for the second out.

After a walk, Tremaine got the next batter on a pop-up for the third out.