The first game of a doubleheader naturally increases the odds for an ensuing pitching duel.
Position players are exhausted from a full seven innings under the sun. Each coach has typically already dipped into his bullpen. The most energized players remaining are the Game 2 starting pitchers who witnessed the first half of the matinee in the dugout.
Loveland and Thompson Valley’s opening game on Sunday emphatically set the tone for a mound battle. The Aces and Indians needed an extra inning to decide Game 1 as TV snuck away with a dramatic 4-3 victory following crucial throw outs at the plate by both clubs in the later stages.
Drained from the eight-inning clash in which an unearned run was the difference, two dominant arms in Tanner Miller and Griffin Stoddart stepped to the bump for the encore at Greg Brock Field. Both pitchers’ previous success elevated the standard circumstances calling for a low-scoring contest, and neither starter disappointed.
Miller hurled a one-run, six-hit, complete game gem to secure the Aces a 4-1 win, while Stoddart was close to as effective before getting chased out in the sixth.
“It’s hard, that was the end of a long stretch for us,” Loveland head coach Brian Smela said. “I could feel us on empty in that second game, but we did something to scratch off a couple runs and hold them. Tanner pitched like he usually does, he’s able to handle just about any lineup … It’s always starting pitching, that’s where the momentum always lies. (Miller) coming out and being on the attack right away was the difference.”
Loveland’s starter knew he had to establish himself and intimidate the Eagles’ bats immediately given all the momentum was on TV’s side. That is precisely what Miller did as he got into a groove early, retiring 11 of the first 12 batters he faced.
Stoddart simultaneously experienced little trouble containing the Aces’ bats. Similar to Miller, the righty efficiently pitched to contact through three scoreless innings, keeping the possibility of sweeping the doubleheader relevant.
The Aces finally broke the seal in the fourth via a Cody Evens bases-loaded walk with one away following three consecutive singles sprayed throughout the outfield. As significant as the tally was with how the game was unfolding, so was Stoddart’s ability to limit the damage. The pitcher struck out Daniel Patrick on three pitches before inducing a Jaron Davis fly out to end the frame as Loveland led 1-0.
“Griffin was pitching really well,” TV head coach Jeff Nellor said. “We need to pick him up better than we did. One thing about Griffin is just his ability to go deeper into the game. He did that today and almost gave us a complete game. I think that him being able to do that was a big factor. His location was really good today.”
Both clubs provided timely responses all afternoon long. In game one, TV pushed across two runs in the fourth only to surrender a pair in the bottom half of the inning. This time, following the Aces’ fourth-inning tally, the Eagles answered with a run of their own in the sixth.
A dropped third-strike began the threat as Davis couldn’t keep Miller’s breaking ball in front of him. Cam Nellor reached first and advanced into scoring position one out later by successfully stealing second. A groundout to short propelled Nellor 90 feet closer to home with two outs as Luke Bierman supplied a game-tying infield single thereafter, making the Aces pay for the extra out.
“I came up to bat and saw we had a runner on third,” Bierman said. “I needed a hit to try to get a run, try to tie it up. I just put the ball in play and found the base, got a base hit … The energy was on our side after that first game, we just lost it at some point.”
Loveland came right back and repositioned its starter to earn the victory in the bottom of the sixth. Parsek initiated the decisive rally by poking at a one-out changeup that dropped in center field.
Evens drew a walk two batters later with two outs to keep the Aces’ bid at regaining the lead alive. Patrick then delivered a clutch single to left, bringing Parsek around to score. Loveland tacked on two more runs when Eli Knodel laced a single barely under John Klus’ glove at first.
“I credit our guys for being able to find that something down deep and get the runs when we needed them,” Smela said. “That was really big. We talked about quality at-bats. Don’t worry about the result; just try to do everything right that you can control. I thought we did a really good job of that today.”
The star of the show, aka Miller, had more than enough insurance to shut the door and go the distance. Miller struck out the final two batters in the seventh to finish his masterful outing.
The pitcher never batted an eye when facing a potential two-game sweep against his crosstown foe. Miller improved as the game progressed and pitched with pinpoint accuracy Sunday, furnishing a doubleheader split for the Aces.
“I just go out there and try to control the game and see how far I can go,” Miller said. “I felt good. I just stayed relaxed. It’s Thompson Valley, so you just have to come out and play. That is what we did. My fastball and my curveball were working really well today. I hit my spots and hit the corners. It always feels good to get a win, especially when it’s for a split.”
Aces 4, Eagles 1
At Greg Brock Field
Thompson Valley 000 001 0 –– 1 6 3
Loveland 000 103 x –– 4 8 0
W –– Tanner Miller. L –– Griffin Stoddart.
Thompson Valley hitting (ab-r-h-rbi) – Cam Nellor 3-1-0-0, Jarrett Riehl 3-0-0-0, Trenten Riehl 3-0-0-0, Luke Bierman 3-0-2-1, Brock Nellor 3-0-1-0, John Klus 3-0-2-0, Griffin Stoddart 2-0-0-0, James Dyken 2-0-0-0, Hunter Anderson 3-0-0-0, Jake Engelland 1-0-1-0, Landon Carlson 1-0-0-0. 2B – Klus 1. 3B – None. HR – None. SB – Nellor 1.
Loveland hitting (ab-r-h-rbi) – Eli Knodel 4-0-1-2, Jacob Sanchez 4-0-0-0, Jake Ticer 3-0-1-0, Tanner Miller 3-1-1-0, Daniel Parsek 3-1-2-0, Aaron Baumann 3-0-1-0, Cody Evens 1-1-0-1, Connor Patrick 3-1-1-1, Jaron Davis 2-0-1-0. 2B – None. 3B – None. HR – None. SB – Baumann 1, Parsek 1.
Thompson Valley pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) – Stoddart 5.2-8-4-4-3-4, Brock Nellow 0.1-0-0-0-0-0.
Loveland pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) – Miller 7-6-1-1-0-6.
Eddie Herz: on twitter.com/Eddie_Herz
