Peetz Baseball Drops Two to Merino

Peetz's Bulldog baseball team hosted the Merino Rams on Thursday for two games, and lost both contests by big margins. The game time temperature was 40 degrees with a steady chill wind blowing in from the outfield. Remnants of last month's snowstorm still lined the outfield fences, creating a ground rule double if the the ball ended up in one of the drifts in play. Peetz junior starter Mike Turpin had some movement to his pitches, but the cold played havoc with his placement and control, and the visiting Rams jumped on him immediately to start the game. Turpin got his first out by inducing a fly ball to left field, but the runner on third tagged up and scored to make the score 5-to-0. A series of singles, doubles, walks, and passed balls gave the Rams their five run lead, and the pattern continued through the inning with errors and stolen bases bringing the Ram's lead to 13-to-0 at the end of the first inning.

The Bulldogs could not manage any offense, and fell by a 22-to-0 score at the end of the third inning.

The teams played a second four inning game, and this one ended in a 16-to-2 win for the Rams.

But there was improvement for the Bulldogs, as noted by Peetz head coach Trevor Nienhauser.

"I was very with the team's improvement. We're starting to see the spark and the hustle I've been waiting for, and the pitchers are getting the work they need. Turpin pitched 93 pitches, (Scott) Sorensen threw 95 pitches and (Xavier) Runge threw 43. Plus the fielding improved, with Owen Kurz making three catches for outs in centerfield," said Nienhauser.

Nienhauser added, "Although the score doesn't show it, we've already come a long way and I'm excited to see where we'll be at the end of the season."