Marsh Valley uses dominant outing from Boston Sorensen to earn a 10-run rule victory over Century, remain unbeaten
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ARIMO — The Marsh Valley Eagles used a pair of small ball-fueled rallies to turn an abbreviated shutout from starter Boston Sorensen into a mercy-rule win over the Century Diamondbacks at home, Tuesday.
It was Marsh Valley’s fourth mercy rule win of the young season.
Head coach Kent Howell said he was “proud” of the way his team played, in all facets.
“They made plays — we had a couple errors, but they made plays,” he said. “Boston pitched really well … it’s exciting seeing him locating well with all of his pitches.”
Offensively, Howell looks for his Eagles (6-0) to reach the 10-hit mark. They finished Tuesday’s game — which saw them come to the plate just four times — with nine hits.
The outburst, he said, was exciting to see.
Things got started quickly following a perfect top of the first from Sorensen, when shortstop Tate Whitworth lined the first pitch he saw from Century starter Teague Wheatley to center for a single.
Whitworth then stole second, but was stranded there when Wheatley coaxed a pair of lazy fly balls and a groundout.
Not willing to see a leadoff single from first baseman Canyon Lish wasted in the second, Howell employed the small-ball approach, calling for bunts from his next three batters. He called it a “change of pace.”
“I don’t mind trying the bunt game and if it’s working, I stay with it,” Howell said. “The boys executed it well and got a little momentum going.”
The Diamondbacks (3-6) struggled defending the bunt, throwing the ball away three times — to go with a fielding error from third baseman CJ Short.
The seven-run frame was all Sorensen needed.
The junior surrendered just one hit in his five innings of work. He got in and out of trouble in the third, when he followed an error by hitting Century’s Jace Hammond. He recorded his third of five strikeouts on the day before stranding both runners on a groundout and flyout from the top of the Diamondbacks order.
Howell was impressed by his hurler, noting the pinpoint command he displayed all game.
“It didn’t matter what pitch we were calling, he was locating — inside, outside, up or down — just working the whole zone, keeping them off-balance,” Howell said. “He was also letting his defense work, getting ground balls, that’s what pitching is all about. He did a good job.”
Marsh Valley put together another rally in the fourth, scoring four more runs to set up the mercy rule — when a team leads by 10 or more runs after five innings, the game is called.
The Eagles were led offensively by senior Bo Larsen, who went 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored.
Wheatley, a freshman, was tagged with 10 hits and nine runs in his 4-1/3 innings of work.
Junior Daeton Poulsen recorded Century’s lone hit of the game, a single leading off the fourth.
Marsh Valley is back in action Friday, when they host South Fremont.
The Diamondbacks play against Saturday, when they travel to Thunder Ridge to face the Titans.
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