By Staff

            INMAN – Pitching was the word on Thursday for the Inman baseball team as three Teutons managed to shutout Hutchinson Trinity not just once, but twice as they claimed a pair of wins, 4-0 and 1-0, in a doubleheader sweep.

            In game one Inman scored once in the first, twice in the third and once in the fifth to get the 4-0 win.

            Brant Mikulecky and Samuel Shober combined to go 6-for-6 in the game with Mikulecky scoring three times and Shober knocking across a pair as Shober hit for a pair of doubles and Mikulecky had a double of his own. The duo also each stole a pair of bases as did Grant Weins.

            On the mound, Mikulecky combined with Jesse Ballard to throw 91 pitches on their way to recording a four hit shutout while giving up no walks and striking out 12, 10 by Mikulecky.

            “Very proud of the way Brant (Mikulecky) and Jesse (Ballard) competed in a tight ballgame while combining to throw a shutout” noted Teuton head coach Matt Mikulecky. “Our inability to hit has put a lot of pressure on our pitchers and they have done their job exceptionally well.”

            In the nightcap, the Teutons needed just three hits and a run in the third inning to get a win and a sweep of the doubleheader as Caleb Bigler was near perfection on the mound. Bigler threw 88 pitches while giving up just four hits, walking none and striking out 16.

            Brant Mikulecky had two of Teutons three hits while stealing four bases.

            Talking about the second game, coach Mikulecky added, “(Caleb) Bigler is just a sophomore and he was absolutely nails tonight. He hit his spots and mixed pitches to earn a complete game shutout. I love the way he goes about his business on the mound.”

            With the two wins the Teutons remain unbeaten at 6-0 as they have a week off before traveling to Bennington on Friday, April 14.

            Coach Mikulecky concluded his post-game reflections by saying, “I have never coached a doubleheader where the pitchers threw 14 innings without allowing a single walk. I am not even sure if I have ever seen that before anywhere. I though Hutchinson Trinity’s pitchers performed at a high level as well. Our guys are not taking a good approach to their at bats and the results are showing that.”

INMAN TEUTONS vs. Hutchinson Trinity

GAME 1:

Scoring:  Hutchinson Trinity > 0-0-0-0-0-0-0 = 0-4-0;  TEUTONS > 1-0-2-0-1-0-0 = 4-9-0.

INMAN TEUTON OFFENSE (ab-r-h-rbi-bb): Brant Mikulecky > 3-3-3-1-0; Samuel Shober > 3-0-3-2-0; Jesse Ballard > 3-0-0-1-0; Zaden Johnson > 3-0-1-0-0; Rhett Gilkey > 3-0-1-0-0; Landen Shealy > 2-0-1-0-0; Grant Weins > 2-0-0-0-0; Talon Welch > 1-0-0-0-0; Caleb Bigler > 3-0-0-0-0; Brody Froese > 1-1-0-0-1.  Team Totals > 24-4-9-4-1.  2B (3) > Shober – 2; Mikulecky – 1.  SB (7) > Shober, Mikulecky, Weins – 2; Shealy – 1.

INMAN TEUTON PITCHING (ip-p-h-r-er-rbi-bb-so): Brant Mikulecky (W) > 5.0-64-3-0-0-0-10; Jesse Ballard > 2.0-27-1-0-0-0-2.  Team Totals > 7.0-91- 4-0-0-0-12.

GAME 2:

Scoring: Hutchinson Trinity > 0-0-0-0-0-0-0 = 0-4-1;  TEUTONS > 0-0-1-0-0-0-0 = 1-3-0.

INMAN TEUTON OFFENSE (ab-r-h-rbi-bb):Brant Mikulecky > 3-1-2-0-0; Samuel Shober > 3-0-1-0-0; Jesse Ballard > 3-0-0-0-0; Zaden Johnson > 2-0-0-0-0; Rhett Gilkey > 2-0-0-0-0; Talon Welch > 0-0-0-0-0; Grant Weins > 1-0-0-0-1; Caleb Bigler > 2-0-0-0-0; Brody Froese > 2-0-0-0-0.  Team Totals > 20-1-3-0-1.  SB (5) > Mikulecky – 4; Weins – 1.

INMAN TTUTON PITCHING (ip-p-h-r-er-bb-so): Caleb Bigler (W) > 7.0-88-4-0-0-0-16.

(The Staff covering events for the MAC AREA SPORTS NEW can be reached by email at crossdovewriter@gmail.com)