Janesville Legion Post 205’s Donovan Hatch is safe on a play where a short fly fell in front of Beloit’s right fielder who then tried to force Hatch at second base. Post 205 swept Beloit’s 16u Bandits Tuesday.
Janesville Legion Post 205’s Donovan Hatch is safe on a play where a short fly fell in front of Beloit’s right fielder who then tried to force Hatch at second base. Post 205 swept Beloit’s 16u Bandits Tuesday.
JIM FRANZ/ADAMS MULTI MEDIA
BELOIT — Last week, it was the Beloit Bandits that swept Janesville Legion Post 205, but this week was a different story.
Janesville swept the Bandits Tuesday night, taking the first game 7-6 and the second 6-4.
Janesville trailed for the majority of Game 1 but used a 5-run sixth inning to flip the game in its favor. Bandits starter, Case Ehret, was a big reason for keeping Beloit’s lead intact. He pitched 5 1/3 innings and only gave up three hits, while striking out seven and walking four.
Ehret was pulled in the sixth inning following a walk and base hit, and in came Chase Andrews.
It didn’t take much time for Post 205 to get to Andrews. Sam Hoium of Janesville Parker smacked a double into left center to score two; Landon Keller of Parker provided an RBI single; and Aiden Stuck of Janesville Craig provided a 2-RBI double to score both.
Janesville Post 205's Easton Zastrow delivers a pitch in Post 205's 7-6 victory over the Beloit 16u Bandits Tuesday in Beloit.
JIM FRANZ/ADAMS MULTI MEDIA
Stuck would go onto score off an error, giving Janesville a 7-4 advantage.
“I think it helped us, honestly, that he was similar to the first pitcher,” Post 205 coach Brady Sendelbach said on facing the relief pitcher. “He was a left-handed guy, throwing stuff that was looping, throwing stuff that was breaking and we had seen so much of it all a game.”
That Bandits tacked on a run in the sixth inning and pressured Janesville’s closer, Jordan Yurs. At one point, Yurs walked four consecutive batters, but because Janesville got a double play earlier in the inning, a fly out ended the game with Post 205 on top.
Craig’s Easton Zastrow got the start and only recorded one out. He allowed three hits, four runs and walked three.
“He did his job; all we did was ask him to pitch to weak contact,” said Sendelbach. “Unfortunately, they ended up finding some gaps.”
So Tyler Hagen of Craig took over. He proceed to go 5 2/3rds innings and only give up one run.
“Hagen came in and threw a gem,” Sendelbach said.
Hagen said his arm was feeling good when got in the game.
“And my defense was sticking behind me the whole time,” he said.
Game 2 extended past 10 p.m., and Post 205 shined in their opponents lights. Again, Janesville got down early, but scored six runs in the fifth inning to take a 6-3 lead.
Janesville Craig’s Dylan Muzik provided a 2-RBI double, three runners scored on walks with the bases loaded and Yurs scored another run on a ground out.
Hoium got the start for Janesville, going four innings and allowing just two hits, while issuing five strikeouts and five walks.
Umpire leaves game
In the bottom of the seventh inning in Game 1, drama unfolded with the base umpire. Beloit’s leadoff hitter, Austin Driver, got on base with a single. During the next at bat, Driver was caught stealing second. The base umpire appeared to initiate a safe call before moving his fist to call the runner out.
The Beloit coach at third base went to have a word with the umpire, who proceeded to walk off the field and not return.
Sendelbach said he had never seen anything like it.
