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Touch them all Jimmy Watters (far right) is sure to touch home plate, befire accepting congratulations from his Martin Oil teammates. Watters homered to drive in the final run, in Martin Oil’s 4-1 triumph over Corporal Miller at Stadium Drive Field on Saturday. (The Daily Herald/Stacey Manning) |
Martin Oil spotted Corporal Miller a 1-0 advantage after the visitor’s half of the first inning, at Bellwood, on Saturday evening, then Nate Gray took over for Martin Oil. Gray went the distance, turning in the victory, allowing no runs and just two more hits, over the final six frames. Martin Oil quickly took back the lead with two scores in the bottom of the first and added insurance tallies in the second and sixth for a 4-1 triumph.
Cpl. Miller got a double by leadoff batter Will Snyder and an RBI groundout by Chris Carper for the only run Gray allowed.
In the home half of the first, Justin Manning beat out high chopper for a base hit. Manning had reached base safely six straight times and nine of his last 10 plate appearances. Manning went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a double by Chad Coho. Ian Pankoke and Nate Plummer walked to load the bases. Justin Miller lined a shot to right to score Coho, but the single was hit too hard to score anybody else, before Jimmy Watters popped out to third for the final out of the inning.
In the second inning, Trey Mock singled, stole second base, and moved up to third on a Justin Manning groundout. Gray helped himself with a single to left that scored Mock.
Watters added the final tally, leading off the bottom of the sixth by blasting a line drive that carried over the fence center field.
Gray who walked none, and struck out eight, retired the final eight batters he faced, and 14 of his last 15.
“Nate Gray pitched a tremendous game, not walking a batter and throwing strikes,” said Martin Oil manager Ed Davis, “and our defense was good, we only made one error.
“Our hitting came through when we needed it, but we only got seven hits. The guys are doing a little better, especially Trey Mock, who starting to attack the ball. Jimmy Watters hit a home run, and Nate helped himself with two hits and knocked in a run and Chad Coho knocked in a run to get us the lead.”
Snyder had three of Cpl. Miller’s four hits.
Martin Oil (15-7) plays Park Furniture at Vets Field tonight at 8 p.m..
Martin Oil 4 Corporal Miller 1
Cpl. Miller – Snyder, ss, 3-1-3; Carper, rf, 3-0-0; Smith, p, 3-0-1; Murphy, cf, 3-0-0; Conrad, 3b, 3-0-0; Russell, lf, 3-0-0; Gaeto, c, 3-0-0; Cheslock, 1b, 1-0-0; Prugar, ph, 1-0-0; Pryne, 2b, 3-0-0. TOTALS 26-1-4.
Martin Oil – Ju. Manning, ss, 4-1-1; Ja. Manning, c, 4-0-0; Gray, p, 3-0-2; J. Coho, cr, 0-0-0; Davis, cr, 0-0-0; C. Coho, 3b, 3-1-1; Pankoke, cf, 2-0-0; Plummer. 2b, 1-0-0; J. Miller, 1b, 3-0-1; A. Miller, lf, 0-0-0; Watters, rf-cf, 3-1-1; Mock, lf, 2-1-1; Kovac, rf, 1-0-0. TOTALS 26-4-7.
Cpl. Miller 100 000 0 1-4-3.
Martin Oil 210 001 X 4-7-1.
E: Snyder 2, Conrad, Plummer.
2B: Snyder, Smith, Gray, C. Coho.
HR: Watters.
RBI: Carper, Gray, C. Coho, J. Miller, Watters.
SO: Gray 8.
BB: Smith 3, Gray 1.
WP: Gray LP: Smith
