Friday, June 12th, 2015
Osterholt, Redskins top Flyers
By Colin Foster
Photo by Mark Pummell/The Daily Standard
Marion Local's Jared Bergman beats a throw to third as St. Henry's Parker Link prepares to catch the ball during a game Thursday in Maria Stein.
MARIA STEIN - Josh Osterholt had his arm and bat working, Mitchel Stammen went 3-for-3 with a double and two runs, and the St. Henry ACME team broke open a close game against Marion Local with a three-run sixth inning to come away a 6-1 winner on the road.
Osterholt lasted six innings, giving up one earned run on two hits and striking out seven. The only run Osterholt allowed came in the first inning, when leadoff hitter Nate Moeller hit a double, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and beat a throw home after Ryan Thobe got caught in a pickle between first and second.
Osterholt worked his way out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth with no outs by striking out the side. He finished off the fifth and sixth innings in 1-2-3 fashion. Blake Hoyng took the mound and closed the game in the seventh with no issues.
"(Osterholt) battled early. In the (fourth) they had bases loaded with nobody out and he struck out three coming back," St. Henry coach Brent Koesters said. "That was a huge inning. He was just on tonight, throwing well, locating and we made some good plays."
"He pitched very well," Marion Local coach Kyle Trafzer said. "I thought he had a good junk ball, very good curve ball. They brought in (Blake) Hoyng in the last inning and I thought he pitched pretty well. They've got some very good young talent on that team."
The Redskins plated one in the first inning with two outs. Stammen came through with a two-out single. Evan Lefeld singled on the next at-bat and Stammen scored on a missed cutoff throw in the outfield.
Osterholt reached on an error in the third and scored the eventual winning run on Stammen's two out RBI single.
The Flyers appeared ready to at least tie the score in the fourth when they loaded the bases on a single by Jared Bergman, a St. Henry error and a sacrifice bunt that left all runners safe. But the kid they call "Toasty" rang up three consecutive Flyers to end the threat and had no issues the rest of the way.
"I should have bunted. That was my fault. I told the guys that one is on me," Trafzer said.
Aaron Nietfeld threw 5 2/3 innings for the Flyers and allowed eight hits. He didn't issue a walk until the troublesome sixth inning. Stammen led the inning with a double and crossed home on Conner Bruggeman's sacrifice fly. The Redskins added another run on an infield error and made the score 5-1 on Matt Siefring's RBI single.
"(Nietfeld) pitched a helluva game," Trafzer said. "He didn't walk a lot of guys. We always preach 'No freebies.' He didn't walk any guys. He didn't hit anyone. I just felt like he got a little tired at the end."
Osterholt, who finished 2-for-4, began the sixth with a double off reliever Jared Bergman and scored the final run on a passed ball.
"We moved them around and we got them in," said Koesters, whose team finished the night with nine hits and six stolen bases. "We're still not tearing the cover off the ball but we got a handful of runs."
Siefring also added two hits for the Redskins (4-2), who return to the field on Saturday and Sunday to play at the Lima Central Catholic Invitational.
The Flyers (0-5) host Fort Recovery tonight at 6:30 p.m.
Photo by Mark Pummell/The Daily Standard
Marion Local's Ian Kremer makes a throw during Thursday night's game. The Flyer shortstop made a diving catch during the fourth inning in a losing effort.
