Blackcats have monstrous sixth inning for comeback victory

By JASON VIOX\Daily Journal Sports Writer

FREDERICKTOWN - The momentum of a baseball game can change in just one inning, and the Fredericktown Blackcats proved just that. The Ste. Genevieve Dragons led 6-0, but Fredericktown piled up seven runs in the sixth inning for a come-from-behind 8-6 win.

Ste. Genevieve's Jacob Greminger reached first base off of a throwing error and stole second in the first frame. Jake Donze followed with a RBI single for a 1-0 edge.

Tanner Wolk got on first base in the second inning due to a throwing error. After Brad Schweigert laid down a bunt, Wes Hogenmiller blasted a double to left-center field to knock in Wolk.

Greminger singled in the third inning, and then reached third base from a past ball and a wild pitch. Donze drew a walk then stole second with no outs. Vince Wolk hit a sacrifice fly to center field to knock in Greminger. Tanner Wolk came through with a single to place runners at the corners, then later stole second.

Schweigert drove in Donze with a single to left field, then Hogenmiller was hit by a pitch to load the bags up. Zach Bauer connected on a two-out, two-RBI single for the Dragons last tallies of the game.

Fredericktown got their first run of the contest in the fifth inning. Jake Pruett drew a lead-off walk, then Jake Sikes laid down a bunt. David Penwell followed with an infield single to place men on the corners. Logan Stevens connected on a two-out single down the left-field line as Pruett crossed the plate.

In the bottom of the sixth frame, Taylor Fall was walked, Dustin Bess singled, and Matt Smallen was hit by a pitch to jam the bases with no outs. Pruett hit a ground ball to third base, but the throw to home was slightly off as one run reached home. Sikes followed with a squeeze play that scored Bess for a 6-3 game.

Penwell blasted a RBI double to center field, then a ground ball by Josh Sutton drove in Pruett. The next two batters drew a walk, then Fall crushed a two-RBI double to left field on an 0-2 pitch to hand his team the lead. An infield error scored the Blackcats' final run of the game.

Ste. Genevieve gave Fredericktown a scare in the final inning. Vince Wolk was walked, then reached second base off of a wild pitch. Tanner Wolk hit a ground ball which moved Vince to third. However, a strike out ended the Dragons' shot at a comeback.

“I think we're just getting better every game,” commented Fredericktown's coach Scott Sikes. “We're still not a great team, but we're getting much better, and it's a good time of the year to do that.”

Penwell was the only multiple hitter of the contest. Stevens went the distance to record the win. He gave up six hits and runs, four earned runs, three walks, and struck out three. Tanner Wolk ended with a no-decision. He tossed for five and one-third of an inning, surrendered seven hits, six runs, five earned runs, two walks, and struck out four.

Justin Burr suffered the loss for the Dragons. He pitched the remainder of the game, gave up one hit, two runs, one earned run, and a pair of walks.

The Blackcats (4-11) and the Dragons (6-7) will participate in Fredericktown's tournament on Saturday where the two teams could meet again before the conference tournament. Ste. Genevieve will play their first game at 11:15 a.m. against Greenville.

Ste. Genevieve - 114 000 0 - 6 6 3

Fredericktown - 000 017 x - 8 8 3

WP - L Stevens 7i 6h 6r 4er 3bb 3k.

LP - J Burr 2/3i 1h 2r 1er 2bb 0k.

Hitting:

Ste. Genevieve - Z Bauer 1-3, J Greminger 1-3, J Donze 1-3, T Wolk 1-3, B Schweigert 1-3, W Hogenmiller 1-1. 2b - W Hogenmiller.

Fredericktown - D Penwell 2-3, L Stevens 1-3, R Thompson 1-3, T Fall 1-3, D Bess 1-3, M Smallen 1-3, J Pruett 1-1. 2b - T Fall.