Whiteford baseball advances to Michigan quarterfinal
Jun. 12—ADRIAN, Michigan — Whiteford baseball advanced to the Michigan quarterfinal Saturday at Adrian College. The Bobcats' four spot in the fifth inning led to a 8-3 win over Genesse Christian.
Whiteford will play the winner of the Adrian Lenawee/Marine City Cardinal game that begins at noon.
"It was a little tight early on I felt like," Whiteford baseball coach Terry Pant said. "We got a little into our own heads here, but they overcame the adversity, battled back. I tried to just keep them calm as much as possible, but [there is] a lot of adrenaline running early in a game like this early morning and regional."
The Bobcats will play in the Division 4 state quarterfinals at 3 p.m.
Whiteford's ability to capitalize on errors in the fifth inning allowed the Bobcats to put up a four-spot against the Soldiers. Logan Tammerine drove in Shea Ruddy and reached safely on a throwing error by Genesse Christian's second baseman John Cox.
Austin Wynn plated a pair of runs on a throwing error by third baseman Andrew Houle.
"We try to put pressure on the teams that we play," Pant said. "So that was big there; that one inning put us over the top, I thought. It's good to see us late in the game do that."
Cole Giesige started on the mound for the Bobcats, but was pulled after 2 and 1/3 innings of work. He threw 37 of his 64 pitches for strikes, punched out five Soldiers and walked four opponents.
Giesige worked himself into trouble in the top of the third. He allowed back-to-back walks to Houle and Ben Walls before Eric Parriett forced a inning-ending double play to work out of the jam.
"It was big," Pant said of his senior pitcher's relief performance. "We struggled early on. They seemed to be hitting Cole pretty good. So we had to play into this, keep moving if we had to."
Parriett shut out Genesse Christian's offense for four and 2/3 innings of relief. He struck out three Soldiers and gave up four hits on 73 pitches (39 for strikes).
"Eric came in and got himself in trouble a couple of times and worked his way out also," Pant said. "So that was good to see. Hopefully he can build off that."
At the plate, the Bobcats' offense was led by Tammerine who was 2-for-4 with a stolen base and scored three runs. Wynn drove in four of the Bobcats' eight runs.
Whiteford struck first in the first inning on a two-out two-run single for Wynn. The first run of the frame was scored on a ground out by Luke Rasor.
The Bobcats surrendered their first lead on a three-run double by Andrew Brewer. Genesse Christian's shortstop was 3-for-4 with three RBI.
Chris Beller pitched a complete game for the Soldiers. He allowed eight runs, four earned, over seven frames. Beller struck out five Bobcats and walked one.
