Cavaliers defeat Wildcats

MINSTER - Runs and hits were at a premium for most area baseball teams on Thursday night.

Not for Coldwater.

The Cavs put runs on the scoreboard in four innings en route to a 10-4 victory over Minster in the MAC-lidlifter at Hanover Street Park.

"To get 10 runs in our first league game, on the road, after being off for a week and not playing and being stuck inside," Harlamert said. "I think we just believed in the process. It's not always fun, not always fun, but we always tell our kids to just believe in the process. I thought our guys did that throughout the game."

Coldwater pitcher Cole Frilling settled down after a rough first two innings. He lasted five innings, giving up for runs (two earned) while striking out six and walking two in a winning effort.

The Cavs (3-0, 1-0 MAC) had three different players with two hits (Jacob Wenning, Nate Grunden and Sam Broering) and five different pitchers saw the mound for Minster (3-1, 0-1 MAC).

Austin Riethman and Wenning both got aboard via errors in the first inning. Grunden followed with an RBI double to right field and then Jack Muhlenkamp ripped a two-run double on the next at-bat.

Minster starter Jack Heitbrink struck out the eighth batter of the first inning with two runners in scoring position, bringing an inning that featured 33 pitches and lasted nearly 20 minutes.

The Wildcats struck back with two runs in the bottom half. Jack Olberding and Alex Lehmkuhl each reached base on doubles and Jared Huelsman connected for a two-run single.

Noah Enneking was on the hill for Minster in the second inning. He gave up a lead single to Frilling, who stole second with two outs. Wenning then hit an RBI single and Grunden added his second run-scoring double of the game for a 5-2 lead.

Minster again responded in the home second, adding two more runs. Adam Knapke reached on an error and then Austin Shinabery singled. Olberding made it a 5-4 game with a two-out RBI double.

"Defensively, we didn't play very well in the first inning," Minster coach Mike Wiss said. "You can't give good teams in the MAC extra opportunities. Even though we made some mistakes - and they capitalized on every one - we also traded punches with them."

The Cavs, however, delivered the knockout blow in the later innings.

Brad Giere and Seth Miller took advantage of control issues on the mound for Minster, with back-to-back RBI walks in the fourth. A wild pitch allowed another run to score and Alex Wourms added a pinch-hit RBI single for a 9-4 lead.

A sacrifice fly by Wenning scored Riethman in the fifth for Coldwater's final run.

Frilling had a quick go of it in the fourth and finished off the fifth. Giere stepped on the hill and held Minster scoreless over the final two innings.

"(Frilling) was able to find the curveball," Harlamert said. "He had that quick fourth inning and he was able to get back out there for the fifth. I liked Cole's outing. Then Brad came in and gave us a good couple of innings."

Wenning went 2-for-5 with two RBIs and three runs. Grunden went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and two RBIs on a night when the Cavs went 12-for-33 at the dish.

"We were getting behind in too many counts," Wiss said. "The innings were going too long. We had two innings done in an hour of baseball. It was six o'clock in the second inning. In no way shape or form do I want to make an excuse as to the limited amount of baseball that we've played so far and that kind of stuff. If nothing else, it was good to get some people some time."   

Coldwater plays at Liberty-Benton tonight at 6 p.m.

No player had multiple hits for the Wildcats, who host Lehman today at 4:30 p.m.