PLYMOUTH – It was a first game with the usual first game ups and downs but Plymouth coach Ryan Wolfe has to feel good about his team’s fundamental approach in a 12-1 win over South Central at Bill Nixon Field.
“That’s the thing I know with this team we are pretty solid fundamentally, they play the game the right way,” said Plymouth head coach Ryan Wolfe. “We talk about things and we practiced enough now with all the games we had off we should be ready to go. I thought it was solid, putting up those runs there in the first inning was big it gave us a calmness out there and we were ready to go.”
The Pilgrims spotted South Central a run in the top of the first with two outs as Spencer Klemz drove home R.J. Snyder with the games first tally, but after that it would be all Plymouth.
The Pilgrims took advantage of four walks and two hit batters in their half of the first to plate 11 runs which would really decide the contest. Grant Stukenborg’s two run single and Jeremy Drudge’s two run triple were the big blows in an extended Plymouth first inning. The Pilgrims added a pair in the third that would be the difference.
“We have some guys that can hit the ball with some pop and we get some guys on in front of them even at the bottom of the lineup hitters like Nate (Nixon) and Cole (Filson) and role it over to Benji (Nixon) those are like three lead off guys,” said Wolfe. “Those guys get on base, they can run and you role that over to (Noah) Pesak and (Cam) Dennie, (Ezra) Winkle and Drudge and Stuke (Grant Stukenborg) I think we have a good bottom line there that are going to score us some runs.”
A solid approach at the plate was a bottom line to the Plymouth offense.
“That’s something that we continue to talk about you are looking for your pitch until you get two strikes,” said Wolfe. “We took advantage of some free passes, you aren’t always going to get those but we’ll take them and we get those guys up in the middle that can hit doubles and triples it makes a big difference.”
On the mound starter Jeremy Drudge was solid in two innings of work.
“We changed some things with (Jeremy) tonight, he wasn’t throwing as hard as he can tonight those are some things we’re trying to work through,” said Wolfe. “Some feel things with his pitches and getting that fine line where he can gas one up there or he needs to pull back there – I mean you can throw hard but if you don’t know where it’s going that’s not real good either and I think he did a good job of riding that fine line.”
Jesus Luva came on in relief to finish and gave a taste of the depth of the Plymouth pitching staff.
“Chuy (Jesus Luva) came in and did a great job,” said Wolfe. “We know what we’re going to get from him. He’s going to come out and throw strikes and he’s got three pitches he can throw for a strike and he had a good outing.
“We’re using this first five weeks to figure some things out. We’ve got to figure out by the time we get to Elkhart Memorial and Concord and those teams, we have to know who is our one, two, three. We’re probably going to need three to attack the conference the way the pitch count rule is now. Having the depth that we have, we’re going to see a different guy starting Monday, Tuesday and Thursday next week just to see what we’ve got. We’ve got it lined up.”
Plymouth heads to a match up with St. Joe on Monday. The game was originally scheduled for South Bend but it will be played at Bill Nixon Field with a starting time of 5p.m.
LINESCORE
S. Central 1 0 0 0 0 1-3-1
Plymouth 10 0 2 0 x 12-6-1
WP – Drudge. LP – Intagliata. 3B – Drudge 2 (P), Dennie (P).
