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EDWARDSVILLE - Gabe Jones was like a quiet assassin.
The Carrollton Hawks pitcher and outfielder hardly made an impact for most of the game between the Dieterich Movin Maroons.
However, in the fifth inning, he saved a run by throwing out a runner at home plate to end a three-run inning for the Maroons. In the sixth, he struck out the side and in the bottom half of the inning Jones lashed a game-tying two-run triple. He then scored on an RBI grounder by Garrett Settles.
Lastly, in the seventh inning with the game on the line, Jones retired the side to preserve a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over Dieterich at Roy E. Lee Field at SIUE on Saturday afternoon.
“I never want to shy away from pressure. That’s why you play the game,” Jones said. “That at-bat and throw from right [field were] huge. I love those situations. That’s the reason why I play baseball.”
“Making the throw to stop them and then coming in and throwing strikes. [Jones has] got the best stuff on our staff. It’s a matter of throwing strikes and being consistent, and he was able to do that today,” Carrollton coach Jeff Krumwiede said.
This was the first annual “Battle of the Birds” showcase between Carrollton and Dieterich. Jeff Krumwiede’s son, Josh is the coach of the Maroons currently in his second season.
“For me, this was a no-lose no matter what the score was. I just hoped for both teams to play well and whatever would happen would happen. My dad had a Dieterich hat on and my mom had a Carrollton sweatshirt so that’s perfect balance,” Jeff Krumwiede said laughing. “It was the atmosphere and the experience of being here on a nice diamond and facility. We can’t thank SIUE enough for making this possible. This was a really nice event.”
Although he wasn’t able to best his father this time around, Josh is happy with his team overall and to see several Carrollton and Dieterich fans come out and support their schools on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Even though it was a bit odd for the Carrollton alum to not be in the Hawks dugout.
“It’s really nice to see a lot of good people out here today on a day like this,” Josh Krumwiede said. “There’s one day of the year I’m not rooting for Carrollton and it’s today. It is kinda weird being on that other side seeing the green and not being in that dugout. It’s a little bitter-sweet.”Carrollton goes to 12-4-1 and Dieterich drops their second in a row and moves to 7-4.
Yesterday, the Hawks lost to the Jersey Panthers 13-3 in five innings and were desperate to gain some momentum heading into next week against the Calhoun Warriors and Quincy Notre Dame.
“Personally our team needed a win,” Jeff Krumwiede said. “We didn’t play well against Jerseyville and coming down here and playing well was imperative for us.”
Nathan Walker, Garrett Settles, and Jones all finished 1-for-3 with RBI’s.
Paul Thoele and Briar Schmidt each went 2-for-4 with an RBI for the Maroons.
Both teams scored a run in the third inning.
Matthew Hunzinger, Bryce McClain, and Thoele hit back-to-back-to-back singles to draw first blood. Carrollton’s Alex Bowker scored from third off a Hayden Stringer RBI groundout.
Sophomore Ethan Brannan pitched five innings for the Hawks. He struck out and walked one hitter apiece while giving up four runs on eight hits. In the top of the fifth, he ran into trouble as the Maroons loaded the bases with no outs.
“[Brannan’s] still doing a great job this year. He’s throwing strikes and as long as the defense plays behind him we have a chance to be successful,” Krumwiede said. “Give Dieterich credit because they hit some tough pitches with two strikes and weren’t overswinging. They did a good job with their hitting.”
Bryce McClain made it 2-1 with a sacrifice fly that drove in Cole Niebrugge. Brannan retired Thoele and was an out away from escaping, but Schmidt lined an RBI double down the third base line making it 3-1. The next batter, Callaway Campton singled in Hunzinger, however, Jones gunned down Schmidt from right field as the catcher, Hayden Stringer applied the tag at home plate.
Coming off a 1-0 no-hit loss to Neoga yesterday, it was refreshing for Josh Krumwiede to see the Maroons bats come alive and get nine hits off a talented Carrollton team.
“I’m pleased with the way we played overall. We were rolling [in the fifth inning]. We had some clutch hits and that was a good inning for us,” Josh Krumwiede said. “The first inning didn’t look so good, but we got our feet on the ground and put some runs on the board.”
Evan Bohnhoff threw six innings allowing four earned runs on six hits striking out four and walking one for the Maroons.
“This is the second time he’s pitched this year. He’s been having some arm issues and finally got over it,” Josh Krumwiede said. “It was a valiant effort from him. It wasn’t dominant stuff, but he kept runners close, got some ground balls and a lot of fly balls to left field. He managed the game well and I’m really proud of him.”
Down 4-1, the Hawks would end up scoring four unanswered runs.
They responded in the bottom of the fifth by putting two men aboard for Walker as he flew out to right field scoring Settles making it 4-2.
After Jones’ game-tying triple in the sixth, Settles drove in the game-winning run with a one-out groundout to the second basemen.
“Garrett Settles came up with a great situational at-bat to knock that fifth run in. I had a chance to talk to him and we talked about just get the bat on the ball and find a way to get that run in,” Krumwiede said. “That groundout to second was picture perfect so I’m proud of Garrett for that.”
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