Outstanding pitching effort by both Nutini and Etscheid but the defense of the Colonels was the difference in this game.

 

More after I eat supper...

If your team plays good defense and you have a pitcher who throws strikes, you will win more games than you lose, and that was pretty much what happened in this game today.

 

CovCath had no errors, no walks, and won this game 2-1 while Ryle had five errors and game up three walks and this cost them the game. All three runs were scored in the 1st inning.

 

Ryle top first: First two batters for Ryle reach base via doubles (Lowkard/O'Hara) but IMO both balls should have been caught (no they weren't errors as the fielder never touched the ball but). Men on 2nd and third and no outs. Third batter up (Etscheid) hits a SF to 7 to knock in the run, but after (Meier) goes 5-3 (Hempel) K's to end the inning.

 

CovCath bottom of the first: Nutini hits a rocket that the SS make a great play on for the first out. Siemer walks, Maile walks (1st and 2nd 1 out) Darner hits a taylor made DP ball to the third baseman who makes a error, every body safe, bases loaded. Isler up and hits a come backer to the Pitcher who instead of going home for the force out and the possible DP, turns and throw the ball into CF and Siemer and Maile score.

2-1 CovCath.

 

That was pretty much the game as Nutini with the help of some outstanding defense by Darner, Holocher, Siemer and Isler never allowed the Raider to score again. When you get the pitching that you did from Nutini, plus the defense from the CovCath infield, you are going to win a lot of games.

 

The good: Nutini pitching and the defense of the CovCath infield. It was a blast watching the CovCath infield just gobble up ground ball after ground ball, and make play after play. Huge and I mean huge difference between this year and last in the infielders making plays. Holocher went 2-3 today with a single and a double.

 

The bad: Nutini should never have had the first two batters reach base, as both fly balls IMO should have been caught, especially the second one.

 

The ugly: Getting thrown out at second base trying to steal twice, once with Darner at the plate and prior to a double by Holocher.

 

Nutini 3 PA and 1 walk

Siemer 3 PA 1 run scored 1 hit 1 walk and 1 cs

Maile 3 PA 1 run scored 1 walk and reached base via E-6

Darner 3 PA reached base via E-5

Isler 3 PA reached base via E-1 and reached base via E-4

Lafever 3 PA 1 hit reached base via E-5 and 1 cs

Holocher 3 PA 2 hits (double) and 1 sb

Eggemeier 2 PA 2 k's

Warning 1 PA 1 K

Klein 1 PA

 

Nutini (3-0) 78 total pitches 6 complete innings 26 PA 5 hits 1 run

1 earn run 0 walks 4 k's

 

CovCath is now 6-0

CovCath next plays Dixie (Thursday 4-09) at 6pm @ Dixie

Indeed both Nutini and Etscheid pitched excellent games... Difference in the game is two walks, a fielding error, and then a throwing error to score both Cov Cath runs in the first. Cov Cath fielded the ball very well the rest of the way. Ryle had multiple errors throughout the game, but none that ended up costing any more runs.

Good to see Holocher with 2 hits.

 

Hard to tell if this team can hit or not. Its tough to make that call when they have so many off days.

Ryle top first: First two batters for Ryle reach base via doubles (Lowkard/O'Hara) but IMO both balls should have been caught (no they weren't errors as the fielder never touched the ball but).

 

I'm sure you realize this but...

 

A ball does not have to be touched by the outfielder for an error to be charged.

I'm sure you realize this but...

 

A ball does not have to be touched by the outfielder for an error to be charged.

 

Yes I do, and IMO it should have been caught but....it is only MO that it should have been caught. The first ball the fielder just seemed to get a really bad jump on it, but the second one should have been caught without to much difficulty. I will admit that the wind was blowing, however the fielder got all messed up by turning the wrong way on the ball. I really do hate to get on a kid, but.....Other than those two plays the CovCath "D" looked as good as I have seen it in a long long while.

 

Isler dove for a ball that had base hit written all over it.

RD make two outstanding plays from the hot corner and it brought back memoires of the vacuum.

Holly just continues to make play, after play, after play

Siemer had one incredible play that was worth the price of admission to see

Maile jumped on sure bunt single that the speedy Daisuke put down but Maile used this quickness and his cannon to gun the runner down.

 

Indeed it was an outstanding effort by the CovCath infielders.

 

BTW Nutini is now 2-0 not 3-0....my bad....

My guess is that Ryle's pitching staff has a season ERA of around 1 run per game, yet they are now 2-2-1 on the season. Tonight notwithstanding, but the defense has been very good this year and will continue to be so. But the overall hitting has been poor the entire season (and to be very clear, tonight's hitting woes had more to do with facing a pitcher on his "A" game than Ryle's hitting problems) and starting to wonder if this team might not be anything more than an average hitting team. Going to see some tough teams over the next few days (Tates Creek, Oldham Cty., Male, Trinity) and it's simply too much to ask the pitchers to hold these teams to 2 runs (or less) a game.

Just a couple thoughts:

 

-The right fielder for CovCath needs to be taught some fundamentals of how to play outfield...=/

-Nutini pitched a very nice game. I thought it was going to be a long one the way they were hitting him hard in the first, but he got it under control. Isler and Nutini's pitching is going to be a huge strength for this CovCath team.

-Holocher going 2 for 3, and the third hit being a hard one, was great to see! Keep it up.

-CovCath's bats have to pick up. We all know they're great hitters, esp Darner, Isler and Maile, but man it's been rough. I know they'll come around, just rather it be sooner than later. With their pitchers pitching the way they have, it would be very hard to lose a game.....IF they start hitting the way they are capable.

-Ryle's errors were costly. Etschied pitched well and as one CovCath kid told me, he always does pitch well against CovCath, but the fielding just wasn't there today.

 

Heard the Jv game was a good one too!

My guess is that Ryle's pitching staff has a season ERA of around 1 run per game, yet they are now 2-2-1 on the season. Tonight notwithstanding, but the defense has been very good this year and will continue to be so. But the overall hitting has been poor the entire season (and to be very clear, tonight's hitting woes had more to do with facing a pitcher on his "A" game than Ryle's hitting problems) and starting to wonder if this team might not be anything more than an average hitting team. Going to see some tough teams over the next few days (Tates Creek, Oldham Cty., Male, Trinity) and it's simply too much to ask the pitchers to hold these teams to 2 runs (or less) a game.

 

 

I think the same goes for Cov Cath in this game. Etscheid struggled with his control in the 1st and 2nd innings but got in a grove and shut down Cov Cath over the next 4 innings.

How did the first 2 batters double without a run being scored?

How did the first 2 batters double without a run being scored?

 

Both doubles looked like they were going to be/should have been caught, so runner on 2B had to stay close to bag to avoid being doubled off. When second double fell over RF'ers head, lead runner could only advance one base.

I wasn't at this game but it sounds like maybe the ball was misplayed in right feild in the first inning? Should it have been caught? Cooperstown, you usually have a fair assessment, what's your thoughts on this? I understand why the runner couldn't advance though!

Both doubles looked like they were going to be/should have been caught, so runner on 2B had to stay close to bag to avoid being doubled off. When second double fell over RF'ers head, lead runner could only advance one base.

 

 

And now you know why I said it should have been caught, as the Ryle runner was waiting to tag up and go to third on the catch.

And now you know why I said it should have been caught, as the Ryle runner was waiting to tag up and go to third on the catch.

 

Not sure exactly what case you are trying to make, but I'm guessing that Ryle's run shouldn't have scored?

Edited April 9, 200917 yr by The Great Game

Iwasn't at the game. I was only trying to make sense of the play. I understand now why it played out the way it did. But from a parents perspective i want to retract my question to Cooperstown in regards to his opinion on the play. I have a son who plays as do many of us. The question asked was not a fair question in asking to comment on another player.