Baseball: 5-run 1st inning propels Ottawa to 13-3 win over Serena

OTTAWA – Ottawa played a pretty solid game in all three facets Wednesday against Serena at King Field.

The Pirates scored five runs in the bottom of the first inning, pounded out 13 total hits off of four Huskers’ pitchers, got a solid four-inning start from senior lefty Payton Knoll and played nearly flawless in the field, which all led to a 13-3 victory in five innings.

“We talked pregame how our main goal today was to get Payton a zero in the top of the first and then put some runs on the scoreboard in the bottom ... we did that,” Ottawa coach Tyler Wargo said. “Getting those five runs right away really settled everyone down, then we added a couple here and there the rest of the way. I thought we hit the ball hard on a number of occasions which was good to see for only the second game of the season.”

In the first inning for Ottawa (2-0), Julian Alexander drew a walk against Serena starter Camden Figgins and then moved to third on a single to left by Daniel Bruner (4 for 4). Knoll followed with a line drive that plunked Figgins on the right hip. Alexander scored on the play and Figgins was replaced by Carson Baker. Rylan Dorsey then scored Bruner on a groundout, and Knoll scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-0. Aiden Mucci and Packston Miller followed with consecutive singles and both later scored on fielding errors.

“That definitely threw a monkey wrench into our plans today, but that is how the game goes sometimes,” Serena coach Chad Baker said of losing Figgins after only three batters. “I was happy with our approach at the plate the second and third times through the lineup where we put the ball in play a lot better. I knew we may struggle offensively today with only having one day of practice outside against live pitching, and we did.”

Ottawa added a run in the second on back-to-back doubles by Alexander and Bruner off Hudson Stafford, then two more in the third on consecutive doubles by Chamberlain and Jack Henson and a wild pitch.

“My goal was to be aggressive and throw my fastball for strikes early ... I felt like for the most part I was able to do that.”

—  Ottawa starting and winning pitcher Payton Knoll

Knoll, who finished after allowing three hits with three walks and four strikeouts, allowed his only two runs in the fourth, as Leo Brennan drew a leadoff walk and eventually scored on a hit by Stafford. Baker singled and later scored on a fielder’s choice by Beau Raikes. Serena also scored once in the fifth off reliever Conner Price on a groundout by Todd Smith.

“I had a little bit of nerves, but they went away pretty much before I finished my warmup pitches,” Knoll said. “My goal was to be aggressive and throw my fastball for strikes early. I felt like for the most part I was able to do that. We were able to get those runs in the first, and that helped a lot with having confidence to not only stick with throwing strikes early but also mixing in breaking pitches in fastball counts.

“I felt like I pitched pretty well, but I also have some things I’ll need to work on and do better heading into my next start.”

In the fifth, Ottawa scored five times to invoke the 10-run rule as Alexander, who reached base four times, had an RBI hit, Price a two-run double and Kaeden Haywood a two-run single to end the game.

“We didn’t have too many walks from the guys that pitched today, and that was a good sign,” coach Baker said. “They all kept the ball in the strike zone for the most part and made Ottawa earn what they got. We had a couple of defensive plays we maybe should have made, but with a week’s less practice than we normally have because of the basketball team’s postseason run, I like a lot of what I saw today for a first game of the season.

Both teams are scheduled to be back in action Wednesday with Ottawa hosting St. Bede and Serena entertaining Aurora Christian.