Wild pitch leads to Rams win
Published 11:38 pm Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Dowagiac’s Brett Scanlon dives back into first as South Haven’s James Abriatis awaits the pick-off throw Tuesday. The Rams defeated the Chieftains 4-0 in the first game. The second game was deadlocked at 4-4 through seven innings. (Daily News Photo/SCOTT NOVAK)
One pitch changed the completion of Tuesday’s Wolverine Conference baseball game between Dowagiac and visiting South Haven.
A wild pitch in the fourth inning allowed the Rams’ to score a run on their way to a 4-0 victory over the Chieftains in the opening game of their doubleheader.
The second game was called after seven inning tied at 4-4.
South Haven would add another run in the fifth and then sealed its victory with a pair of runs in the seventh.
Dowagiac’s Cal Cox had wiggled out of several jams leading up to the fourth inning, including first and third innings where he recorded back-to-back strikeouts with runners in scoring position.
In the fourth, Chris Davis opened the inning with a walk and moved to third following a sacrifice bunt and a bloop single by Tanner Plochocki to put runners at first and third.
Davis scored when Cox’s pitch nearly hit Evan Johnson and the ball got by Chieftain catcher Brett Scanlon.
James Abriatis singled home a run in the fifth to make it 2-0.
In the seventh, Aaron Dehn and Abriatis picked up back-to-back RBIs to increase the Rams’ advantage to 4-0.
Dowagiac’s best chance of scoring came in the fourth inning when Scanlon led off with a double down the left field line and moved to third on a ground out by Logan Pellow.
But Dehn would strike out the next two batters to end the threat. He ended up with 10 strikeouts. He went the distance to earn the victory, scattering four hits.
Cox worked the first six innings, giving up two runs on four hits with 12 strikeouts.
Dowagiac scored single runs in the first and third before tallying twice in the fifth to account for their four runs.
The Rams scored all four of their runs in the fifth inning to knot the score at 4-4.
Dean Klann worked four innings for the Chieftains. Ryan Dorow worked all seven for South Haven.
Klann and Cox both doubled for the Chieftains. Cox also had a single and two RBIs, while Logan Pellow added two hits and two RBIs.
First game
South Haven 000 110 2 – 2 8 0
Dowagiac 000 000 0 – 0 4 0
Aaron Dehn (W) and Chad Davis; Cal Cox (L), Ryne Williming (7) and Brett Scanlon
2B: Ryan Darrow (SH), Brett Scanlon (D)
Second game
Dowagiac 101 020 0 – 4 5
South Haven 000 040 0 – 4 4
Ryan Dorow (SH); Dean Klann (D)
2B: Klann (D), Cal Cox (D)
