PLYMOUTH – It was one too many mountains to climb as Plymouth’s Pilgrims fell in baseball sectional final action to LaPorte by a 4-0 final.
The pitching of Chandler Banic was just too much for Plymouth as for the second time in the day the Pilgrims struggled for baserunners. A single by Cam Dennie in the first inning a single by Benji Nixon in the third along with an error had the only runners in scoring position for the day and Filson’s single in the fifth were all the baserunners the Pilgrims could manage.
“We gave them that three spot in the third inning,” said Plymouth head coach Ryan Wolfe. “Minus the one inning where we got second and third and had a shot we couldn’t get any base runners. The Banic kid did a good job. We saw him earlier in the year, and he just settled in there. I thought we had some good at bats we just couldn’t square anything up.”
Banic only struck out three but he also only went as deep as one full count in the game, getting hitters to pop up and ground out early in at bats. He ended the night with an average of just over 10 pitches an inning throwing just 72 total.
The Slicers scored all the runs they would need in the third when a one out throwing error and a stolen base opened up a three run uprising that would be stopped with Dyllon Pavey throwing out Nolen Lorenz trying to steal.
Plymouth starter Grant Stukenborg was able to match Banic surrendering just two earned runs on the night.
“Grant wanted the ball,” said Wolfe. “It was something where we got to the point where we knew we’d have to use our whole staff to win a sectional. I thought he did a fantastic job of being around the plate, getting ground balls and fly balls, that’s what he does.
“The runs they scored were on some freebies we gave them. We didn’t execute some things, but we made some great defensive plays behind him too.”
One was an outstanding diving catch in center by Jeremy Drudge that saved at least one run. The other was a perfect relay from Cole Filson to Jesus Luva who fired to the plate where Pavey was waiting to put a perfect tag on Banic trying to score. The play ended the inning.
The loss ends a very unlikely season for Stukenborg who faced questions whether he would ever be able to play again after taking a line drive to the face in a Legion game last summer.
“After what happened to him last summer if you’d told me he’d come out and be 5-1 – even to go back out on the mound – I couldn’t be more proud of him.”
Wolfe also had praise for his entire senior class.
“They are a fantastic group of five guys and they are really the reason why we’re here right now. They kept us together,” he said. “We went through some things where we had some growing up to do. We were kind of young and some guys had to learn to deal with the pressure of how to handle failure that this game inevitably presents. They got everybody together and that group is going to be sorely missed.”
Plymouth ends the year at 15-14. LaPorte moves on to regional action at 22-8.
•LaPorte 4, Plymouth 0
LaPorte 0 0 3 0 0 1 0 4-6-1
Plymouth 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0-3-2
WP – Chandler Banic. LP – Grant Stukenborg.
