1-hitter not enough
Two Moniteau pitchers combined for a one-hitter against Venango Catholic.
That was the good news. The bad news? The Warriors' baseball team still lost 6-1.
Walks and errors conspired to doom Moniteau in a very strange — and frustrating — game for the Warriors at Pullman Park Thursday afternoon.
“We let them off the hook,” said Moniteau coach Ross Martin. “Bottom line.”
Venango Catholic, getting its first action outside — playing or practicing — all season because of the frigid spring, jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning without the benefit of a base hit.
Moniteau starter Jake McBride walked four and hit a batter to force in a run before yielding to reliever Colton Cumberland with two outs in the first.
An error also resulted in a run for the Vikings.
“It's been everyone's problem, not just Jake McBride's,” Martin said. “We can't find the plate. We have no confidence in doing that. That affects the fielders out there. They feel they have to be perfect.
“Two straight games now we've been down 3-0 and 4-0 right out of the gate and that gives you zero confidence,” Martin added.
Cumberland, though, pitched well in relief. He gave up just one hit, an RBI triple by Jared Ruth in the fourth, and just one earned run in 6 1-3 innings. He struck out six and walked one.
Cumberland's pitching performance was far too late for the Warriors, who didn't muster much offense against Ruth, Venango's starting pitcher.
Ruth went all seven, striking out seven, walking three and scattering four singles. Moniteau scored its only run in the bottom of the fifth inning on an RBI single by Cumberland.
“We've squared up on one ball in two games,” Martin lamented.
“Jared is definitely a really, really good pitcher,” said first-year Venango Catholic coach Bob Felmlee. “I encouraged him to get ahead in the count and he did that. They had a hard time against him.”
Venango Catholic 400 200 0 — 6 1 3
Moniteau 000 010 0 — 1 4 3
W: Jared Ruth 7IP (7K, 3BB). L: Jake McBride 2-3IP (0K, 4BB).
Venango Catholic (1-0): Ruth 3B RBI
Moniteau (0-2): Colton Cumberland 1B RBI, Josh McBride 1B, Kaleb Eshenbaugh 1B, Zack Jewart 1B R
Today: Moniteau vs. Union at Pullman Park, 6:45
