Announcement
Mike Jenkins took the ball on a cold, blustery day at the Parkland High School diamond and led the Trojans to their second win of the season. Jenkins controlled the game as he held Freedom scoreless while scattering 6 hits over 7 innings, striking out 7, and did not walk a batter. He was backed by a defense that played errorless baseball on a day that saw less than ideal baseball weather conditions.
The Trojan offense was kept off balance as the Freedom pitcher matched Jenkins effort in all but the first inning. After Freedom was set down in a 1-2-3 first inning the Trojans manufactured a run. Andrew Roth (0-2, BB, R) led off for the Trojans with a walk. Cullan Wadsworth (0-2, SAC) then executed a perfect sacrifice bunt moving Roth to second. Tyler Bruno (1-3) singled to put runners on the corners. Austin Mueller (0-2, BB, RBI) then reached first on a fielder’s choice to second, scoring Roth with the only run of the game.
While the Trojans could only push one run across the plate they did have several chances to score as they left seven men stranded over the first four innings. In the second, Ethan Imler (2-3, 2B) singled followed by a Kyle Novobilski (0-0, 2BB) walk to put runners on first and second. The Trojans could not advance them further. In the third Mueller walked and was followed by a Matt Mellinger (1-3) single. Again both men were left stranded. The fourth inning saw Imler double to lead off the inning followed by another Novobilski base on balls. For the third time in as many innings the Trojans left two men on base still looking for that crucial hit to provide an insurance run. In the end it was Jenkins’ pitching that provided all the insurance the Trojans would need on this day.
