DANE FUELLING
WZBD.com
Thursday’s matchup between Adams Central and South Adams was everything local baseball fans wanted and more, featuring an incredible nine lead changes and a wild 12-11 scoreline, but it was the bottom of the AC lineup and the clutch hitting of leadoff hitter Logan Uhlman that made all the difference.
Catcher Keegan Bluhm was 3 for 3 at the No. 8 slot in the lineup, and Jack Hamilton after him was 3 for 4. Together they set the table for Logan Uhlman, who knocked in two and scored twice himself with a clutch home run and a triple.
“We got big hits tonight from Jack and Keegan and Logan, that’s for sure,” said head coach Josh Foster after his team’s victory. “Hopefully we keep the timely hitting going forward.”
Adams Central looked good early with their ace, Cade Van De Weg, on the mound. The Jets hit SA ace Owen Wanner hard in the early going, beginning with that Uhlman triple to lead off the bottom of the first. That continued in the second with singles by Ryan Black and Keegan Bluhm and they both scored on a double by Hamilton to make it 3-0.
Wanner reached back and got Uhlman via strikeout, but Van De Weg helped himself with an RBI single and the Jets led 4-0 and looked in total control.
It turned sour for the Jets in the next inning, however, when Kyle Minger, the leading hitter in Z-Land, was hit by a pitch and Adams Central fumbled the ensuing attempt to sacrifice him over to second. Van De Weg then hit Caleb Hirschfeld and loaded the bases for Logan Bauman.
The catcher put his team on the board with a two-run single to right and after playing an errorless game against Crestview, the Jets reverted to their old ways, botching the two-out bunt attempt by Gavin Myers and extending the inning for the visitors.
“Cade wasn’t as sharp today as usual,” admitted Foster. “Not as sharp as he wants to be, but we will keep working and be better next week.”
The lead evaporated for the Jets on a third infield error on a ground ball off the bat of Brady Beall and suddenly it was 5-4 Starfires.
Much as you would expect them to do in a big rivalry game, the Jets answered right back in front of their home fans.
Trevor Currie doubled and scored and Keegan Bluhm and Jack Hamilton followed with more hits, but Wanner got a huge out by retiring Uhlman to end the third inning.
Another AC error kick-started a South Adams rally and yet another lead change with Wanner and Bauman picking up the big hits in the inning against Van De Weg. After 3.5 innings, it was 7-6 Starfires.
There was a whole lot more baseball to be played, however.
Wanner got two outs and looked to be out of the next half inning, but Ryan Black took the battle of the schools’ two quarterbacks to a new level, doubling off Wanner and giving the Jets the lead back at 8-7, scoring Van De Weg and Trevor Currie.
In the top of the fifth, Matt Steiner walked and later scored on a wild pitch and after 4.5 innings it was all square.
Adams Central took the lead and loaded the bases with a Trevor Currie single in the bottom of the fifth, but with Caleb Hirschfeld in as pitcher for SA, Van De Weg was tagged out advancing on a passed ball to end the fifth.
South Adams’ top two hitters, Minger and Bauman, started a rally in the sixth and Keegan Combs plunked Brady Beall late in the inning with the bases loaded to put the Starfires back on top 10-9.
The game was ultimately decided in the bottom of the sixth. Keegan Bluhm doubled with two out and Hamilton followed with a game-tying triple. That set up Uhlman for the game’s decisive moment – a two-run homer to left field that put the Jets up 12-10, just three outs away from victory.
Combs drew the assignment of fighting for the final three outs and he dug himself a hole by hitting Hunter Miracle to lead off the inning. While Wanner picked up an RBI with a one-out double, it was Combs who rose to the occasion, finding the final two outs to wrap up one of the wildest wins in recent memory for new head coach Josh Foster.
Hirschfeld finished with 1.1 innings thrown and three runs and three hits allowed.
Combs had a similar line with 1.2 innings pitched and two runs allowed. He was the pitcher when the winning run was scored.
“There are always positives to find in a game where you’re competitive,” said head coach Brad Buckingham, “but we didn’t play well enough to win unfortunately.”
“I like that we kept fighting, though.”
Both teams will play Saturday before facing a tune-up week for the postseason next week.
Good article, Dane. Was wondering where you went since the DDD. Great that WZBD had the smarts to hire you, (Randy Hisner?), and the ultimate journalist pro, Bob Shraluka! Keep it up and now I know where to get my local sports fix!