Wyandotte Baseball Loses Pitcher's Duel to Southgate

A strong pitching performance from both sides was the story of 3-1 defeat Monday at Southgate Anderson. 

Starting for the Bears (10-8, 3-5) was junior Devon Jones. On April 14, the Titans roughed up Jones for five runs in the fifth inning of a game lost by Wyandotte, 6-5.

On Monday, Jones yielded only two earned runs on five hits and one walk through six innings.

“I felt in command; I felt great,” Jones said. 

Unfortunately for Jones and Wyandotte's hitters, Titan starter Justin Smith was even better. Smith struck out seven, giving up only one earned run on two hits and one walk. 

The lone walk yielded by Smith was to Bear senior Gerald Mayhew in the third inning. Senior Travis Rodery knocked him in with an RBI-single and put the Bears up 1-0.  

Southgate quickly tied the game in the bottom of the inning, manufacturing a run with two hits and a stolen base.

The score stayed deadlocked for the next two innings, thanks partially to two big fifth-inning defensive plays by Wyandotte.

With no outs, Jones got his glove up just in time to snag a hard line drive hit back at him on the mound. Junior catcher Joe Zulewski later ended the inning, making a perfect throw to second that gunned down a Titan stolen base attempt.

In the bottom of the sixth, however, two hits and a Wyandotte fielding error allowed Southgate to score two runs and go up 3-1. 

The Bears sent the heart of the batting lineup to the plate in the seventh. However, the hitters went down in order and the Titans took the victory. 

“It’s one of those (days) where sometimes you play a decent game and you don’t come out on top,” Wyandotte coach Brian Cotner said. “I thought Southgate played very well and they deserved to win.”  

Game Leaders

Rodery was 1-3 with an RBI. Mayhew reached base twice and scored the team’s only run.

A Look Back and a Look Ahead

On Saturday, Wyandotte played three games at the tournament. The Bears defeated Warren Cousino and Warren Mott, but lost to L’Anse Creuse. Wyandotte's next game is a doubleheader at Taylor Kennedy at 4 p.m. Wednesday.