Pirates win 1 of 4
The Prairie baseball team played a pair of doubleheaders this past week. On Tuesday, April 16, they traveled to Genesee where they split a doubleheader winning the first game 17-2 and losing the second 10-13. On Saturday, April 20, they traveled to Lewiston and lost twice to Troy, 6-12 and 7-17.
In the opener against Genesee, Prairie pitcher Noah Behler had his best outing of the season allowing just 3 hits and 2 unearned runs.
Meanwhile the Pirates pounded out 13 hits and scored 17 runs.
Prairie was the home team in the opening game and Behler got two strikeouts to start the game. He then gave up a triple to center before getting another strikeout to get out of the inning.
In the bottom of the first Cody Kaschmitter reached on an error with 1 out. Behler then doubled to right to score Kaschmitter. After Behler stole third, Jake Quintal singled to left to score Behler and make it 2-0.
In the second Genesee got a leadoff single with the base runner then advancing to third on an error on a pickup attempts. On a ground out to Behler, the baserunner wound up scoring from third on another error in an attempt to him out to end the inning. Two strikeouts then ended the inning.
Chris Schumacher led off the bottom of the second with a single but then the Pirates were put out in order.
In the top of the third a leadoff walk. A fly ball out and a fielder’s choice got a pair of outs. Catcher Cody Kaschmitter then threw out the base runner trying to steal second to end the inning.
Prairie added 3 runs in the bottom of the third. Kaschmitter led off with a single to center. Kaschmitter then stole second and advanced to third on an error on the play. Behler was hit by a pitch and Carter Shears then singled to score Kaschmitter. Behler and Shears pulled off a double steal. After an out on a popup, Behler scored on a wild pitch with Shears advancing to third. Levi McElroy then grounded out but Shears was able to score to make it 5-1. Schumacher singled but then the inning ended on a ground out.
In the top of the fourth two errors put two runners on for Genesee. After a pair of strikeouts, a walk loaded the bases. A wild pitch scored the runner from third. After another error reloaded the bases, Behler got out of the inning with another strikeout.
Prairie got a huge inning in the bottom of the fourth as they put up 12 runs to take a 17-2 lead into the fifth.
Kade Quintal led off the inning with a single to left. Schwart then reached on an error with Quintal advancing to third. Kaschmitter then reached on another error with Quintal scoring. A walk to Behler loaded the bases. Shears then singled to score Schwartz. An error by the second baseman allowed Kaschmitter to score. After a strikeout, McElroy tripled to left scoring both Behler and Shears to make it 10-2. Schumacher singled to left to score McElroy. Collin Ray reached on an error with Schumacher advancing to third. Schumacher was then caught trying to steal home while Ray stole third. Kade Quintal walked. Quintal stole second and then Schwartz singled to center to score both Ray and Quintal to make it 13-2. Kaschmitter looped a single over third base. Schwartz then stole third and scored when the throw got away for an error. Kaschmitter wound up at third when the play was over. Behler drew a walk. Max Rehder went in as a courtesy runner for Behler. Shears was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Kaschmitter then scored on a wild pitch with the other two runners moving to second and third. Jake Quintal then singled to right to score both Rehder and Shears and make it 17-2.
In the top of the fifth Behler struck out the first two batters then gave up a walk before ending the game with a groundout to first.
Behler pitched 5 innings allowing 2 unearned runs on 3 hits with 3 walks and 9 strikeouts.
Prairie had 13 hits in the game led by Schumacher who had 3 singles and an RBI. Jake Quintal had 2 singles and 3 RBI. Shears had 2 singles and 2 RBI. Kaschmitter had 2 singles and 1 RBI. McElroy had a triple and 3 RBI. Schwartz had a single and 2 RBI. Behler had a single and an RBI. Kade Quintal had a single.
Genesee 0 1 0   1 0—  2   3 8
Prairie    2 0 3 12 x—17 13 5
The second game against Genesee was a slugfest on both sides with 20 hits.
Prairie took a 4-0 lead with 2 runs in each of the first two innings. Genesee then took their first lead of the day with 5 runs in the bottom of the second. Prairie took back the lead with 4 runs in the third to make it 8-5. Genesee cut the lead to 8-7 with 2 in the bottom of the third and tied it at 8-8 with a run in the fourth.
Prairie scored in the fifth to make it 9-8 but Genesee answered with 5 in the bottom of the fifth to take a 9-13 lead. Prairie scored 1 in the 6^th then the game was called due to darkness.
McElroy pitched 4 1/3 innings allowing 11 runs on 9 hits with 7 strikeouts and 7 walks. Poxleitner got the final 2 outs but gave up 2 runs on no hits with 3 walks and  1 strikeout.
Prairie had 11 hits. Poxleitner had a double and 3 singles. Behler had a triple and a single and 3 RBI. Kaschmitter had a triple and 2 RBI.  Schumacher had a single and an RBI. Shears, Jake Quintal and McElroy each had a single. Ray had an RBI.
Prairie    2 2 4 0 1 1—10 11 3
Genesee 0 5 2 1 5 x—13   9 7
In the opening game against Troy, 2 big innings for the Trojans led to the win.
Prairie was the visiting team for the first game and McElroy got a 1 out single and Behler was hit by a pitch with 2 outs but both were left stranded.
Behler pitched for the Pirates and gave up a 2-out triple in the bottom the first but then got a pop-up to first baseman Ray to get out of the inning.
Jake Quintal led off the second with a walk and Schumacher followed with a single to left. An error moved up the runners and a wild pitch scored Quintal with Schumacher moving to third. Ray bunted but Schumacher was thrown out at home and wound up getting injured and having to leave the game on the play.
Troy tied it in the bottom fo the second without benefit of a hit. A 1-out hit batsman, stolen base and a groundout put the runner on third. An error then scored the run.
Prairie took back the lead in the third. Kaschmitter reached on an error and Behler followed with a single to left with Kaschmitter advancing to third. A balk was called to scored Kaschmitter and give Prairie a 2-1 lead.
Troy got to Behler in the bottom of the third. After a leadoff single and a 1 out double, an intentional walk loaded the bases. That backfired when the next batter hit a 2-run single. A run scoring double and a run scoring single followed. After a strikeout and a walk, another run scoring single gave the Trojans a 2-7 lead.
Neither team scored in the fourth. Prairie got within 1 run in the fifth. Two errors put McElroy and Kaschmitter on base and Behler and Shears each single to score McElroy and Kaschmitter. Behler moved to third on a fielder’s choice and then scored on a balk. Prairie had the bases load with 2 outs when Troy changed pitchers. The new pitcher ended the inning with a strikeout leaving Prairie down 2 runs at 5-7.
In the bottom of the fifth Troy got the leadoff man on via hit by pitch but Behler then picked him off. A single followed but the next batter was called out for making contact with the ball while out of the batter’s box. A fly ball to left then got Behler out of the inning.
McElroy led off the sixth with a walk and Kaschmitter was hit by a pitch. After an out, Kaschmitter was forced at second by Shears with McElroy moving to third. Shears then took off for second and drew a throw. McElroy took off for home as soon as the throw was made and was able to score on the double steal. That got Prairie within 1 at 6-7.
Troy then put the game away with a 5 run bottom of the inning. After striking out the side in the fifth, Behler lost his command in the sixth. An error, 2 walks and 2 singles led to 5 Troy runs. Behler ran up against the pitch limit and Poxleitner finished the inning. He gave up an infield single but the damage was already done.
Ray got a 1 out single in the top of the seventh but the other 3 batters in the inning all struck out.
Behler gave up 12 runs on 10 hits with 5 strikeouts, 4 walks and a hit batter in 6+ innings. Poxleitner gave up no runs on 1 hit with 2 strikeouts in 1 inning.
Prairie had 6 hits led by Behler with 2 singles and an RBI. Shears had a single and an RBI. Schumacher, Rehder and Ray each had a single.
Prairie 0 1 1 0 3 1 0—  6   7 3
Troy    0 1 6 0 0 5 x—12 11 4
Phil Schwartz started on the mound in the second game and gave up hits to the first 4 batters and 5 of the first 6 with 4 runs scoring in the top of the first.
Prairie answered back with 3 runs in the bottom of the first. Schwartz led off with a single to right. McElroy reached on an error and Kaschmitter singled to left to load the bases. Behler executed a bunt up the first base line that scored Schwartz as the only play was at first. Shears then singled to left to score McElroy and Kaschmitter scored on a ground out to short by Jake Quintal.
Schwartz got Troy out in order in the second inning. Prairie however was unable to score in the bottom of the inning. Kade Quintal singled with 1 out and stole second. He went to third on a sacrifice bunt by Schwartz but later made the third out when he was caught trying to score on a passed ball.
Troy scored twice in the third inning on 2 hits and an error.
Prairie got 1 in the inning when Kaschmitter hit a 1 out triple down the right field line. He scored on Behler’s single to left. Prairie now trailed 4-6.
Troy added 4 more runs in the fourth on 5 hits, a walk and a balk with a runner on third.
Prairie answered back with 2 runs. Jake Quintal led off with a double to right. He went to third when Ray reached on an error and scored on Poxleitner’s single to right. Kade Qintal walked to load the bases.  Ray was forced out at the plate on a grounder to first. After a second out, Kaschmitter walked to score Poxleitner. That made it 6-10.
In the fifth Troy broke loose with 7 runs. 3 hits and error and a batsman put the first 5 batters on base with 3 runs scoring. Kaschmitter then went to the mound and wild pitched home a couple of runner enroute to walking 2 hits. He then got 2 straight strikeouts before another error led to 2 more runs. A strikeout ended the inning but Troy was now up 6-17.
In the bottom of the seventh Jake Quintal had a 1 out single. Ray reached on a fielder’s choice as Troy committed an error trying to get Quintal at second. Next came an infield fly called by the umpire that none of Troy’s infielders could get to as the ball landed 25 feet out in right field. It should have been bases loaded with 1 out but instead it was runners on first and second with 2 outs. Kade Quintal walked to load the bases and Schwartz reached on an error with Jake Quintal scoring. McElroy then hit a ball into center field but it was caught for the game-ending out.
Schwartz pitched 4+ innings allowing 15 runs on 16 hits with 1 strikeout, 1 walk and 1 hit batsman. Kaschmitter pitched 1 inning allowing 2 runs on 2 walks with 3 strikeouts.
Prairie had 9 hits led by Kaschmitter who had a triple and a single and an RBI. Jake Quintal had a double and a single and an RBI. Behler had a single and 2 RBI. Shears and Poxleitner each had an RBI single. Schwartz and Kade Quintal each had a single.
Prairie is now 2-9 on the season and 2-5 in league play.
Troy   4 0 2 4 7—17 16 4
Prairie 3 0 1 2 1—  7   9 5