Ark Valley News - Hornet baseball drops two at Andover

Hornet baseball drops two at Andover
By Randy Fisher
Last Updated: April 12, 2019

It was oh so close, but no cigar, as the Valley Center High School baseball team dropped a doubleheader April 9 at Andover, losing 13-6 and 10-9.

The Hornets are now 2-4 overall and 0-2 in Ark Valley Chisholm Trail League II action.

It was the loss in the second game that really hurt. That's when Andover's Connor Hall hit a two-run, walk-off home run for the one-run victory.

"Obviously, we're on the wrong side of that one," coach Nick Barnes said. "I told our guys we got to be better in everything we do, especially the small things. I was proud of them for putting themselves in position to have a chance to win that game."

The Hornets manufactured two runs in the first for the lead. They scored with neither a base hit nor an Andover error.

Wyatt Jones opened the game with a walk against Andover's Danny Helmer, one of nine issued by Andover pitchers in the game. Jones ultimately scored on Helmer's second wild pitch of the inning.

Jesse Johnson was hit by a pitch and stole second. He scored on the back end of a double steal with Aaron Diehl.

The Trojans took the lead with five runs in the third.

With two outs in the fourth, Wyatt Hager tripled to the opposite field for Valley's first hit. He scored on Payton Graham's single to make it 5-3.

Andover added single runs in the fourth and fifth to stretch its lead to 7-3.

Valley took advantage of the wildness of Andover's Ty Conard, who relived Helmer in the sixth. Conard walked Gavin Adams and Hager. Graham followed with an infield hit to load the bases with no out. Jones drew a walk to bring in a run. Diehl and Blayne Hightower delivered two-run singles to put the Hornets back on top 8-7.

Hager had taken over on the mound in the third. He struggled in the sixth, giving up the tying run.

The Hornets showed their resiliency by going back on top in the seventh. Adams singled and Hager walked to open the inning. Graham laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt that no one but the third baseman could field, advancing the runners. Mason Burns' high chopper to the right side brought home Adams with the go-ahead run.

Burns had come on in the sixth for Hager. In the seventh, Burns walked the eight-hole batter to open the inning. Then Hall belted his shot over the left-field fence to end the three-hour long game.

Both teams combined to walk 19 batters, hit three and throw seven wild pitches.

Diehl and Graham each had two hits, while Diehl and Hightower each had two RBI.

The first game was more of a slugfest, with the Trojans getting in the first blow with a run in the second.

Burns scratched out an infield hit to lead off the third. He moved to second on a ground out and scored on Johnson's single. Then Diehl hit his first-ever high school home run to put the Hornets up 3-1.

Andover scored single runs in the third and fourth to deadlock the game at 3.

In the sixth, Myles Thompson doubled to the opposite field, moved to third on a ground out and came home on a sacrifice fly from Burns for a 4-3 lead.

Two-run home runs from Ben Brown and Helmer highlighted the Trojans' 10-run sixth that gave them the lead for good at 13-4.

Consecutive doubles from Johnson, Diehl and Hightower plated two runs in the seventh and accounted for the final score.

Johnson was 3 for 4 with a run scored and an RBI. Diehl was 2 for 4 with two runs scored and two RBI. Thompson also had two hits.

Barnes was pleased to see that the Hornets outhit the Trojans on the night, 19-18.

"We've proven throughout our early season that we can hit the baseball," he said. "When you hit the baseball and put pressure on teams, you give yourself a chance. And we did; in both games we gave ourselves a chance. Took leads in both games."

Kauffman postponed — Valley Center was all set to play league foe Andover Central April 5 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. In fact, the Hornets were well on their way when their plans were changed.

The Hornets had planned to work out at Seaman High School in Topeka and were a few minutes away when Barnes got a phone call canceling the game because of field conditions.

"We found a gas station, jumped out, stretched our legs, went to restroom, came back home just in time for the kids to make a couple hours of school," Barnes said. "They were enthused about that."

The game has been rescheduled at Kauffman for 3 p.m. April 20.

JV rallies — Down 3-2 in the first game, the Hornets put five up in the fourth and went on to win 8-4. They are 2-3 on the season.

Nash Crosby, Zach Romig and Isaiah Stokes each had three hits as Valley outhit Andover 14-6. Two of Crosby's hits were doubles. Phil Metcalf pitched the last five innings to get the win, allowing one run.

The second game was tied when it called because of no lights on the JV field.

The Hornets lost twice to Andover Central at home April 4.

The Jaguars swarmed the Hornets 17-0 in a three-inning Game 1. Davin Schmelzle had Valley's only hit.

"We struggled in all facets, but bounced back in Game 2 and competed well," said coach Bryce Westphal.

Compete well they did in Game 2 but still fell short. The Hornets led 1-0 after the third inning only to see Andover Central score three in the fourth. Valley got one of them back in their half of the fourth but no more. The Jags held on to win 3-2 as Valley left six runners on base.

Each team had five hits. Cooper Watkins had a double, while Brett Turner, Zach Romig, Weston Jennings and Alex Gillig each singled for Valley. Romig and Grant Lehnherr each drove in a run for the Hornets.

"Bryson Mosher had a great pitching outing," Westphal said. "Nash Crosby came in relief and did well."

Andover 13, Valley Center 6

VC 003 001 2 — 6 11 4

AND 011 10 (10) x — 13 12 0

Jones, Diehl (6), Thompson (6) and DeBaun; Hurt, Nicklaus (5), Albright (7) and Nicklaus, Brown (5). W — Hurt. L — Diehl (0-1). 2B — VC: Johnson 2, Jones, Thompson, Diehl, Hightower; AND: Helmer, Fahnestock. HR — VC: Diehl; AND: Brown, Helmer.

Andover 10, Valley Center 9

VC 200 105 1 — 9 8 2

AND 005 111 2 — 10 6 1

Adams, Hager (3), Burns (6) and Cain; Helmer, Conard (6), Pierce (6) and Brown. W — Pierce. L — Burns (0-1). 2B — VC: Diehl; AND: Brown 2, Nicklaus. 3B — VC: Hager. HR — AND: Hall.