Little things add up to big win for Lancaster baseball against Newark
NEWARK ― Pitchers Dylan Bird and Cayden Vermilion weren't in a giving mood Friday at Newark's Joe Neff Field. So every play was magnified. Enough that the only runs of the game, by visiting Lancaster, scored on an infield out and balk.
Bird threw only 84 pitches, 51 for strikes, struck out four, walked two and gave up just four hits. That enabled the Golden Gales to bump the Wildcats out of first place in the Ohio Capital Conference-Buckeye Division with a 2-0 victory which took only 80 minutes to play.
"We had lost three games in a row, but we were not going to quit, and came in ready to go," Bird said. "We were super focused from the start."
The win pulled Lancaster (10-4, 7-2) into a second-place tie with Newark (9-5, 7-2), one game back of Pickerington Central (11-2, 8-1) which nipped Reynoldsburg 3-2 on Friday. The Gales will host Newark on Monday.
"It was a must win, and good teams win on the road and overcome adversity," coach Corey Conn said. "We knew we had to be ready, because Newark is a good team with a good program. Their pitcher threw well, and their defense made plays. Sometimes, you have to do small things to manufacture runs, especially with the way Vermilion was dealing."
The fifth inning of a scoreless tie started with Jackson Burke bunting and reaching first on Newark's only error. After Kathen Hutton moved him over with another bunt, Bird singled to center, putting runners at first and third. Burke scored on Carson Miller's slow chopper to third. Aiden Henson then beat out an infield hit, and the second run scored when he forced a balk by breaking towards second.
"Cayden threw a great game, but they were able to get a couple of runners on and we made a mistake or two that they did not make," coach Michael Wheeler said.
Perhaps the biggest moment came in the second inning with one out, when the Wildcats loaded the bases with consecutive hits by Bodie Smith, Seth Fish and Aidan Hamilton. However, Bird got Vermilion to bounce sharply to short, and Lancaster turned it into a pivotal double play. Newark had only one more hit and got just one more runner into scoring position, and Bird picked him off second.
"(Shortstop) Jake (Akers) made the play, then Kathen (Hutton) made a strong turn," Conn said.
The Wildcats were able to square some balls up, but often right at Lancaster fielders. That was by design.
"I usually throw strikes and try to keep them off guard," Bird said. "I trust my defense and rely on them a lot. I came in ready to do my thing."
Conn said Bird was able to effectively mix speeds and has the ability to throw any pitch in any count.
"He did a fantastic job, keeping the ball moving, and the defense behind him did a great job," said Miller, a sophomore third baseman who had two hits out of the number eight hole. "The biggest thing was that his curveball was really working, and it really frustrated them."
Wheeler said his team has to see how they're being pitched to and react accordingly.
"We have to do a better job in our approach, with where it's being pitched," he said. "He kept it on the outside, and we have to reach out and drive it the other way. We did hit some balls hard, right at them, but that's baseball."
Smith had two hits for the Wildcats, while Vermilion scattered seven hits, struck out six and did not walk a batter while hitting one. Both runs were unearned.
The bottom of Lancaster's lineup produced five of the seven hits, with Bird chipping in two to help himself.
"We had really good approaches, going up the middle and looking to drive it," Bird said. "We hadn't been doing that in our last few games."
Miller noted that the Gales had been struggling at the plate.
"We've been working hard in batting practice. Doing the work, and keeping our focus," he said. "We looked to swing at first pitch fastballs, and did our job today."
Both teams are hunting a league title, as well as tournament momentum. Bird is one of 10 seniors for Lancaster.
"We've played together since the fifth and sixth grade," he said. "It's one last ride, and it's been a fun journey."
Newark saw a seven-game win streak ended, but Wheeler sees no reason the Wildcats can't bounce back. They have given up only 22 runs in 14 games, and all five losses have been by two runs or fewer.
"Our pitchers have done a good job, and the biggest thing is, our defense has been phenomenal, especially on the infield," he said. "We've taken away more hits from opposing teams than I've ever seen during my time here. We just have to go in with a better approach at the plate."
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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Little things add up to big win for Lancaster baseball against Newark
