Meridians Baseball

Cameron Bommer (Anderson University):  3-1 (38 K's in 24 innings)

Derek Reese:  1-1, Save      Justin Kraus:  1-0      Daron Williams:  0-1

Jeff Mears:  2-1, Save

2013 Meridians HRs

Derek Reese (2), Justin Kraus

The Meridians finally make it back down to Kentucky to play after more than 2 and a half weeks due to two forfeits and rain.   The bigger news though, was another hour and a half south where Jeff Mears joined the Cincinnati Chiefs in Louisville for the NABF Regionals.   Mears tosses a CG 2-hitter with 10 K's to earn the club a 5-1 Win in their first round match-up!

Just across the river though, things were a bit more murky.  Coach had the day off with family (Godsons) in town, but he did his best to throw 11 men down to meet the Whales at Morscher Field.   Interim Coach Reese was a gametime arrival so Parkhurst took over initially.   Pitching highlights: Imperiale throwing a season-high 4 innings with 7 K's, Dolan with his season-high of 2 innings, Bommer with 2 innings (despite a throwing session 2 days prior), 2 K's and Woltermann with his mound debut and a dominating 9th inning, 2 K's.

Yes.., 9th inning.   The pitching on both sides command the night for the most part as neither team can plate a 5th run and darkness prevails wrapping up the contest in a 4-4 tie.

Parkhurst with a multi-hit night, Woltermann - 3B/RBI, Sickinger (BB, 2 Runs) & Reese both with 2Bs, Hump - H, RBI, R and first Meridians hits for Imperiale and Dolan.

Each time we get the Chiefs, it's after a 10 day break from playing.   The offense clicks right away though with Couture drawing a walk, Woltermann doubling him to 3rd and Parkhurst poking a liner through to score him.   Couture and Woltermann both add doubles later in the contest, but that's it for the scoring as their pitching shores up our swinging the rest of the way.

Imperiale works around 2 hits in a scoreless 1st thanks to Woltermann chasing one down on the other side of 2nd and firing to 1st in time to close the frame.   Brian fights through a long 2nd to keep us in it at that point as well (3 K's in 2 innings).  Mears wraps it up with 6 K's in his 3 innings, but they keep swinging and add multiple runs in each of the next 3 innings to wrap it up in 5.

Thanks to Danny McCullough Jr., borrowed from the Hooks in the CABL, who helped us out on these north side college games this summer.

Bommer dominates, running through 5 innings (6 K's) despite the errant strike zone, 2 weeks off and the sweltering heat - leaving with a 7-2 lead and what seemed like the game in hand.

We remain dormant the final two frames while they continue to chip away scoring another 2 in the 6th and 4 in the 7th to walk us off.  Final: 7-8   We finally get to Morscher Field after rainouts every other time we've been scheduled there.

Lasers off the bats of Reese (2B, 2 RBI, 2H, R), Couture (2B, BB, R) and Mears (3B, 2 RBI, R) provide the bulk of the damage.   Woltermann with 2H, 2R, RBI and handles a double play on his own at his home park - Clim, 2R.

After a week and a half off swimming throughout Cincinnati, the Meridians finally get back to some baseball.   Williams brothers cameos help fill up the dugout at Lakota West and guys coming late are even later after Coach tries to get everyone through a locked soccer fence...   Great job by all involved with the multiple switches throughout to keep the lineup legal.

Despite some sloppy play behind them, the pitching staff holds their own.   Mears gets us started handling the first 3 innings (3 K's, pick-off), Imperiale with a quiet 4th in order (K) and Daron Williams (2 K's) wraps it up with his first Meridians action since 2010.   The defense does temporarily stave off their first run of the game with a strong relay from Woltermann (SS) in left center to McCullough at the dish with a swipe tag.

Woltermann also has another multi-hit day including a 3B right away in the 1st.   Easterling & Reese with our only other knocks (both shots that would normally have been 2Bs) and Mears with a Sac Fly to scamper home Kraus (BB & reluctantly going 1st to 3rd on Wolt's other knock) who stops, plays duck-duck-goose with the catcher before finally tap-dancing to the plate for our lone run.   Final: 1-4 vs. Cincinnati Chiefs