Non-League: Sheboygan A’s power to 9-3 win
May 30, 2013
The Sheboygan A's defeated the Menasha Macs 9-3 in their season opener.
The Sheboygan A’s felt a bit shaky on offense coming into the season.
After the club’s season opener on Wednesday — a 9-3 win over the Menasha Macs that saw the A’s belt nine hits — it’s safe to say some of those concerns have been assuaged, at least for now.
“It was exciting to get out here and get the first win under our belt,” A’s manager Tyler Martin said. “… I like our ball club, I really do, I think that we’re going to have a good year.”
Chad Langley struck a two-run double in the bottom of the first inning to bring Trevor Theissen and Luke Maldonado across home plate, and Cole Heili followed shortly with a deep double to bring Langley across and put Sheboygan up 3-0 early in the game.
After Menasha drove in a run in the top of the fourth to narrow the gap, the A’s warmed up their bats again in the fifth by driving in six runs to blow the game open and give themselves a comfortable lead the rest of the way through.
Heili helped launch the onslaught after knocking a one-run single to bring Maldonado home from second base. Jeremy McCarty followed with a two-run single, bringing in Harry Steldt and Heili, and a two-run double off of Grant Evans’ bat later in the inning pushed the lead even further. Evans later scored on an error before Menasha’s defense finally got an out to stop the Macs’ bleeding.
“We had base runners all night, which is huge,” Martin said. “We had pressure on ’em almost every inning.”
Lucas Wilsing, a left-hander who saw limited action last season after a shoulder injury sidelined him, got credit for the A’s opening win after starting five innings, giving up just one run and two hits.
Taylor Ditter, an A’s rookie who finished his high school pitching career last year at Sheboygan South, held the Macs scoreless for two innings, and Taylor Schwarz pitched the last two frames, when Menasha scored two runs but couldn’t mount enough offense to threaten a comeback.
“We did some good stuff,” A’s general manager Denny Moyer said. “The kids hustled, we ran well, our pitching was solid tonight. Lucas did a great job for a first time out, both relievers pitched well.
“It was a good effort.”
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