Varsity Baseball

April 13^th, 2019

Grand Ledge Comets @ Chelsea Bulldogs

“Dominate Pitching Wins Game One for Grand Ledge; Late Comeback leads Bulldogs over Comets”

Game One: Grand Ledge 2, Chelsea 0

In the top of the first, after a lineout by leadoff hitter Senior Aaron West, the next two Comet hitters were retired via strikeout.

The Comets sent Junior Logan Hylek to the mound for his second start of the season. Hylek was in midseason form early, pitching around a single and a walk to strikeout two Bulldogs.

Despite a one-out double by Junior Devin Gardella, the Comets failed to score in the second. The game remained scoreless as Hylek retired the side in order.

The first real scoring opportunity came in the top of the third, when the Comets got back-to-back two-out singles by West and Senior Braedon Stoakes. After a walk by Sophomore Logan Todd, Hylek popped out to short left to leave the bases loaded.

In the Chelsea half of the third, the leadoff batter reached after being hit on the leg on a two-two pitch. After a failed sacrifice bunt attempt and a flyout, another runner reached on an error, but Hylek got the next hitter to flyout to centerfield for the final out of the inning.

Not much action for the Comets in the fourth. Sophomore RJ Bohnet walked with 2-outs, but no real scoring opportunity transpired.

Senior Justin Meister came on in the fourth and continued his strong start to the season, setting down the Bulldogs in order as the game remains scoreless heading into the fifth.

Pitching continued to dominate over the next two innings, as we head to the seventh, still no score.

The Comets yet again are set down in order, and with Meister still on the mound, the Comets look to force extra innings. After an easy groundout back to the pitcher, the next batter reached after being hit by pitch. After a walk, the Bulldogs suddenly had a scoring threat brewing. A groundout moved the runners to second and third with two outs. An intentional walk loaded the bases and setup an intense situation. Meister was unfazed, striking out the batter and sending the game into extra innings.

Leading off the eighth, Sophomore Noah Warren reached as the go-ahead run. West singled and the Comets now finally had something brewing. Stoakes grounded into a fielder’s choice and Todd was intentionally walked, setting up a bases loaded opportunity for Hylek. And the Comets finally broke through as Hylek singled, scoring West and giving the Comets a 1-0 lead. Gardella followed with a sacrifice fly extending the lead to 2-0, as we head to the bottom of the eight.

Meister slammed the door shut, getting the Bulldogs to go 1-2-3 and giving the Comets the 2-0 Game One victory.

Winning Pitcher: Justin Meister (2-1)

Hylek: 3IP 1H 0R 1BB 3K

Meister: 5IP 2H 0R 3BB 3K

West: 2-4, 2 1B, R

Game Two: Grand Ledge 7, Chelsea 8

Looking for a sweep, the Comets needed to get off to a fast start and they did exactly that.

Aaron West laced a double off the top of the centerfield fence for a leadoff double. Two batters later, a groundball by Hylek resulted in an error and scored West. The error proved costly as the next batter Devin Gardella launched a pitch into the trees beyond the left centerfield fence for a two-run homerun giving the Comets and early 3-0 lead.

Senior Ethan Irish took the mound for the Comets and got off to a quick start, pitching around 2 walks to hold the Bulldogs scoreless.

In the top of the second, Noah Warren lined a single to lead off the inning for the Comets. Braedon Stoakes singled with one out and later Logan Hylek hit a sacrifice fly scoring Warren and the fourth run of the game for the Comets. Irish set down the Bulldogs in order and the score remains 4-0 Comets.

Sophomore Kaden Nowak line a single up the middle for his second hit of the game, but was unable to score as the next three batters all grounded out.

In the bottom of the third, Irish would face some pressure. The first two batters reached after being hit by pitch and the next batter singled. Irish got a groundball, but an error allowed a run to score and no outs were recorded. After a flyout, a walk forced in the second run of the inning. With the bases still loaded, a single scored two runs, tying the game and chasing Irish. Junior Nathan Lehman came on in relief with two runners on and got a huge double play ball to end the inning and we head to the fourth tied 4-4.

Looking to answer the Bulldogs big inning the Comets put something together in the fourth. West led off being hit by a pitch and Stoakes lined a single, moving West to third. Todd lined a sacrifice fly to leftfield scoring West and giving the lead back to the Comets. Stoakes later scored on an error when Gardella reached on a groundball. Gardella later scored when Nowak pulled a ball down the right field line for an RBI triple and his third hit of the game, extending the Comet lead, 7-4.

Lehman set down the Bulldogs in the fourth but Chelsea got one run back in the fifth, 7-5 Comets.

With runners on second and third and one out in the sixth, the Comets failed to plate another run, which would prove costly. Chelsea led the bottom of the sixth off with a single, followed by a sacrifice bunt. The next batter doubled and suddenly the Comet lead is down to one. Logan Todd replaced Lehman, and the first batter lined a single to left. After picking off the runner at first for the second out, the next batter walked, again setting up a first and third opportunity. The next batter singled and the ball game is tied. But the tie did not last long as the follwing batter also singled, plating the runner from third, giving the Bulldogs an 8-7 lead.

In the top of the seventh for the Comets, the first two batters were retired easily and after a 2-out walk by Stoakes, Todd grounded out to third to end the game and the Bulldogs win 8-7.

Losing Pitcher: Logan Todd (0-1)

Nowak: 3-3, 2 1B, 3B, RBI

Gardella: 2-4, 1B, HR, 2 RBI, 2R

Stoakes: 2-4, 2 1B, BB, R, 2 SB

Comets (3-3) Back in Action: Thursday, April 18^th @ Eaton Rapid