Wyandotte Baseball Splits High-Scoring Doubleheader with Allen Park

scored a combined 24 runs Wednesday and split a doubleheader at home against Allen Park.

The Bears (8-6, 3-4) took the first game 12-2, invoking the mercy rule after five innings.

The Jaguars won the nightcap, dropping Wyandotte 17-12 in a wild matchup. The second contest included five total home runs and the ejection of Wyandotte coach Brian Cotner.

As game two began, it appeared the Bears had a shot at sweeping the doubleheader.

Senior Travis Rodery led off the game with a home run and junior Tyler Groat knocked in a run, giving Wyandotte an early 2-0 lead.

Allen Park hitters had other ideas, though, and responded with 11 runs in the bottom of the inning. During the rally the Jaguars sent 16 men to the plate and hit back-to-back home runs. Rodery, the game’s starting pitcher, was pulled before getting one batter out in the game. 

The Bears immediately mounted a comeback attempt, scoring four runs in the second inning. The runs came as a result of some Allen Park miscues and an RBI each from junior Hunter Matt and senior Chase Schmittou.

Junior Joe Green worked in relief and held the Jaguars scoreless for the second and third innings. 

In the bottom of the third, a controversial attempt by an Allen Park runner to break up a double play created a dispute between Cotner and the umpires. As the argument became heated, Cotner was tossed from the game.

Wyandotte continued its comeback attempt, putting up one run in the fourth, three in the fifth and two in the sixth. This included one RBI from Matt in the fifth and two in the sixth.

Unfortunately for the Bears, the team also gave up runs in each of those innings, including a two-run homer in the fourth.

Matt said that a more balanced attack of hitting and pitching is what Wyandotte needs to be successful.

“If our pitching comes around, we’re going to beat every team there is,” Matt said.

Wyandotte entered the seventh inning down 17-12 with hopes of one last comeback attempt. Instead Allen Park retired the side in order and went home with the victory.

In the first game, the Bears jumped out to a 2-0 first-inning lead on hits from Matt and Schmittou.  

A three-run homer by Matt and double by Rodery put Wyandotte up 6-0 in the second.

A third inning attack of six hits and five runs helped the Bears put the game away. RBI hits came from Rodery, Matt, senior Steve Caldwell and sophomore Devan Stewart.

Cotner said that recent hitting work done in practice is now paying off for Wyandotte.

"We’re a lot more patient at the plate, they’re just seeing the ball real well,” Cotner said. “We can hit, we can bunt, a lot of good things can occur from our offense.”

Junior Devon Jones pitched all five innings for Wyandotte in the first game and took the win.

Game Leaders

Matt went 5-for-8 on Wednesday with nine RBIs. Rodery was 5-6 with three RBIs and seven runs scored. Schmittou went 4-for-4 with two RBIs and only missed reaching base once in nine attempts

A Look Back and a Look Ahead

The Bears crushed Taylor Truman Monday at home 12-2. Wyandotte next plays Saturday in the St. Clair Shores Invitational Tournament.