Demon Baseball Takes Two From TMP

Dodge City, KS (westernkansasnews.com) The Dodge City baseball team (5-1) continued their hot start to the season using the art of great pitching and timely hitting to defeat TMP-Marian (1-3) 6-3 and 3-1.

Game One Highlights

In the first game TMP jumped out to an early 3-0 lead off Dodge City starter Luke Royle.  After the first two batter reached on a single walk and a pair of stolen bases, Chase Werth Sac-fly made it a 1-0 lead.  Catcher Creighton Renz doubled in shortstop Luke Ruder made it 2-0 Monarchs and with two outs Brady Kreutzer singled to rightcenter bringing home the final run.

Little did anyone know, but Luke Royle would retire the last nineteen men he faced improving his record to 2-0.  TMP would not get the next hit until the second inning of game two off Demon starting pitcher Noah Sowers.

It took a little time for Dodge City’s offense to get ignited, but once it started the offense began to flow scoring in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings.  Luke Royle hit into a fielder’s choice to being in catcher Lucas Hefner and cutting TMP’s lead to 3-1.

In the fourth inning Dodge tied up the game off Monarchs starting pitcher Tate Garcia scoring both runs with two outs capitalizing on a single, two walks, three steals and a wild pitch bringing in Rylan Allen for the first run.  Jake Montgomery’s single to center brought in Sowers to tie the game at three apiece.

Sowers put the Demons in the lead for good with a two out, two run single off TMP reliever Luke Ruder scoring both Ryan Armstrong and Allen putting Dodge out in front 5-3.  Armstrong added an infield single up the middle for a RBI capping off the scoring in Dodge’s 6-3 win.

Game Two Highlights

Sophomore Noah Sowers made his first varsity start for the Demons in game two and walked the tight rope at times, but survived to notch his first varsity win (1-0). 

Lucas Hefner gave Sowers an early run to work with on a RBI single in the second off Chase Werth to make it 1-0 Dodge City. 

Werth cameback with a run scoring single to right in the third inning to tie the game at 1-1.  Sowers would need some defensive help in the fourth to keep the game even.

After a walk, double and another walk to load the bases for TMP in starting the fourth senior Zane Staab failed to score on  lineout by centerfielder Karl Rack to right.  With one out and Staab unable to tag on the first out of the inning, Staab went on Tate Garcia’s fly out to rightfielder for the second out. 

Jake Montgomery displayed a great throw which was a little up the third base line, but was handled well by catcher Lucas Hefner to tag out Staab and keep the game tied on the inning ending double play.

Dodge offense finally answered the bell in the sixth inning.  After Luke Royle hit into a fielder’s choice to begin the inning he took first base with one out.  Royle was twice pick off both first and then second, but still advanced on two failed rundowns from TMP.

The mistakes turned out costly for the Monarchs as Ryan Armstrong gave Dodge the lead on a double down the leftfield line scoring Royle.  Rylan Allen added another insurance run one out later plating Armstrong with a RBI single to center. 

Sowers worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning to end the contest and seal up Dodge City’s two run win.  The sophomore in his first varsity start went the distance giving up one run and four hits, striking out three and walking two.

Post-game Dodge City Coach Zack Shipley

Next Friday Dodge City plays Hutchinson and Wichita Southeast before returning home on April 21st to host Garden City.