Cavaliers shut out Flyers in ACME opener

MARIA STEIN - Coldwater used timely hitting and a strong pitching performance from Dylan Thobe and Nate Grunden to open its ACME baseball slate with a 6-0 win over Marion at the Flyer Athletic Complex in Maria Stein.

Thobe allowed one hit and struck out seven over four innings to pick up the win. Grunden struck out three over the final three innings to earn the save.

"Our pitchers looked good. They had a good rhythm," Coldwater coach Tom Brunswick said. "They were throwing strikes. When you get a pitcher that throws strikes, that's when you get good plays (from the defense) behind you."

The Cavaliers played errorless defense as no Flyer made it past second base.

"I thought we put some good swings on the ball," Flyers coach Casey Witt said. "We hit some right at them and they made some really good plays. I was happy with the swings we took, but that's just baseball."

A trio of Marion pitchers allowed just six hits but recorded eight walks and four hit batsmen. The Cavaliers scored three of their six runs off walks and hit batsmen.

The winning run for Coldwater came in the top of the first when Flyer pitcher Duane Leugers loaded the bases with a single, an error on a fielder's choice and a walk. Mitch Balster picked up an easy RBI after having drawn a walk to score Sam Broering. Leugers enticed a flyout to end the inning with the bases full of Cavs.

Preston Meyer drove in a pair of runs in the second on a single off Leugers to score Jack Muhlenkamp and Brad Giere. In the fourth, Broering came home on a sacrifice fly by Grunden off of reliever Jon Schmitz.

The final two runs came in the sixth after the Cavaliers loaded the bases for Muhlenkamp, who singled to right-center to plate Grunden and Balster.

"We had some big key hits from Preston and Jack had a big night," Brunswick said.   

Coldwater had plenty of additional chances to score, but left the bases loaded in four of their seven at-bats and left 15 runners on base in the game.

"We have to sharpen up on the mound," Witt said. "You limit a team to (six) hits, you have a good chance to win, but you can supplement that with a multitude of walks. ... But it's the first game of summer, so I expect that to happen."

Muhlenkamp went 3-for-3 with a run scored, two RBIs and two stolen bases to lead Coldwater.

Coldwater returns to action on Saturday with a three-team round robin doubleheader with Greenville and Kalida. Coldwater plays at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.