Cardinals win first of two games against Forest Park

By MATT KING\Daily Journal Sports Writer

PARK HILLS - The Mineral Area College baseball team used a pair of timely home runs to crawl out of a three-run deficit on Tuesday, then cashed in on a couple of late breaks to rally for a 5-4 home win over Forest Park in the first of two games between the conference foes.

The Cardinals trailed 4-1 in the bottom of the fourth until sophomore Joaby Sikes launched a drive over the wall in left field against Forest Park starter Jon Goebel. The solo blast was the second of the year for Sikes.

Mineral Area completed the comeback in the sixth inning when Sean Bard crushed a 3-0 fast ball to left for a two-run homer and his first of the season after Tyler Stahl led off the frame with a single.

A diving catch by center fielder Seth Kimrey proved to be a crucial first out in the top of the seventh. Forest Park used a walk to Brian Stumpf and a single by Colin O'Neal against reliever Ryan Hilton to mount a scoring threat, but Cory Grewe entered the game and induced two fly outs to keep the game tied at 4-4.

Kimrey was hit by a pitch from Matt Kerperian to begin the Cardinals' half of the seventh, and moved to second base on a bunt by Garrett Hulsey. A wild pitch by reliever Steve Mohr forced the Highlanders to draw the infield closer, and Tony Spencer delivered a ground ball through the right side to end it.

Spencer added a single in the first inning, and a double in the third to finish the contest 3-for-4. Grewe earned the victory after combining with Hilton for three scoreless innings of relief.

Forest Park quickly jumped to a 2-0 start when Stumpf ripped a two-run homer to right-center against MAC starter Andy Moss, who took a no-decision after working four innings with four strikeouts and four walks.

Mineral Area cut the margin in half on a RBI single by Brandon Crook in the third inning, but a lead-off double by Ryan Gray, and a RBI hit by Kyle Hargis helped the Highlanders add two more tallies in the fourth.

Goebel struck out six batters while allowing two runs on five hits over four innings for Forest Park, but did not factor in the decision.

The Cardinals were denied their first double-header sweep of the season in game two, as the Highlanders survived a late challenge for a 5-3 victory.

MAC pitchers James Huff and Ryan Blankenship combined to issue eight walks in the game, including three which led off innings. Huff recorded four strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on five hits in the loss.

Ron Martin scattered six hits over 6 1/3 innings with five walks and five strikeouts to earn the win for the Highlanders. Danny O'Heron escaped a bases-loaded jam in the seventh to earn the save.

Forest Park broke on top with a RBI single by Dusty Schneiders in the top of the third inning, but Mineral Area countered in the bottom half. Spencer singled after Hulsey was hit by a pitch to start the frame, and Bard collected a clutch two-run single to give the home team a 2-1 edge.

The Highlanders evened the score without hitting the baseball past the infield in the fourth. Brad Johnson drew a lead-off walk, and the MAC defense failed to handle back-to-back bunt singles by Blake Bussmann and Ryan Gray.

Johnson scored easily on a wild pitch, and Forest Park (12-8) regained the lead on a RBI single to left by Matt Schwartz. Andrew Elmendorf capped the inning with a sacrifice fly to make it 4-2.

Mike Materia scored on a wild pick-off throw in the home half of the fourth to bring MAC to within a run, but the Highlanders got the run back following three consecutive walks in the seventh.

Mineral Area made an exciting comeback bid with its last chance at the plate, loading the bases with the help of two infield hits by Crook and Kimrey. However, O'Heron coaxed a game-ending double play off the bat of Stahl.

Schwartz led Forest Park offensively with a 2-for-3 performance. Spencer was 1-for-2 plus a pair of walks for the Cardinals, and Nick Eckl took advantage of his start in right field with a single in the sixth inning.

MAC (5-17) will now prepare for an important weekend of baseball against two region opponents. The Cardinals will play two games at Three Rivers on Saturday, and two more at Maple Woods on Sunday.

Forest Park 200 200 0 - 4 6 0

Mineral Area 001 102 1 - 5 8 2

WP - Grewe 2/3i 0r 0h 0k 0bb.

LP - Kerperien 1 1/3i 1r 0h 0bb 1hb.

Hitting:

Forest Park - O'Neal 2, Stumpf, Chandler, Gray, Hargis. 2b - O'Neal, Gray. HR - Stumpf.

Mineral Area - Spencer 3, Crook, Stahl, Bard, Sikes, Hulsey. 2b - Spencer. HR - Sikes (2), Bard (1).

Forest Park 001 300 1 - 5 5 1

Mineral Area 002 100 0 - 3 6 2

WP - Martin 6 1/3i 3r 6h 5k 5bb 1hb.

LP - Huff 5 1/3i 4r 5h 4k 5bb.

SV - O'Heron 2/3i 0r 0h 0k 0bb.

Hitting:

Forest Park - Schwartz 2, Schneiders, Bussmann, Gray.

Mineral Area - Spencer, Crook, Stahl, Bard, Eckl, Kimrey.