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Valley tumbles twice in season opener
By Randy Fisher
Last Updated: March 31, 2016

It was a rocky start to the baseball season for Valley Center High School. The Hornets lost both games in a March 29 triangular at Derby. Hays run-ruled Valley 19-0 in the first game, while Derby downed the Hornets 10-3 in the nightcap.

"Ultimately I just feel we've got to pitch better," coach Nick Barnes said. "We've got to throw the ball downhill. We've got to work ahead in the count. When we do not do those things, teams take advantage of us."

Senior Nathan Feather took the mound for the Hornets, who were the home team against Hays, in the first game. The Indians batted around in the top of the first, scoring three times and leaving the bases loaded. They batted around again in the second, this time scoring six runs to put this one out of reach. Hays added two runs in the third and eight in the fourth.

Meanwhile, Hays' Cole Schumacher did not allow a runner until the fourth. With one out, Bailey Burns walked, and Zach Gillig singled. A Schumacher pitch got away from catcher Connor Rule. When Burns advanced to third on the play, Rule threw out Gillig trying for second. A ground out ended the game.

Kadin Pearson singled to open Game 2 against Derby. The Derby pitcher threw wide at first trying to pick off Pearson. By the time the Panthers tracked down the ball, Pearson had scampered all the way to third. He scored on a ground out by Burns.

Derby quickly answered with six in the bottom of the first against Gillig. He retired the Panthers in order in the second but surrendered a run in the third to make it 7-1. Ryan Garcia pitched the last three innings, giving up one in the fourth and two in the fifth for a 10-1 Derby lead.

The Hornets had at least one baserunner in every inning. They pushed across single runs in the sixth and seventh for the final score.

In the sixth, Colton Richardson singled with two outs and moved to second on a wild pitch. Garcia's blooper to left was misplayed into a double with Richardson scoring.

Valley scored in the seventh without a hit. Jay Shank drew a walk to open the inning. Collin Sharp hit a ground ball to the third baseman, who threw it away going for the force at second.

Pearson hit a grounder to the second baseman, who forced Sharp. In trying to complete the double play, the shortstop threw wide at first. Shank scored and Pearson went to second. The Panthers retired the next two batters to end the game.

Valley's best other chance to score was in the fourth. Trailing 6-1, Burns singled to open the inning but was erased on a double play. Back-to-back singles by Gillig and Richardson, followed by a walk to Garcia, loaded the bases. The next batter grounded out to the pitcher.

Garcia and Richardson each picked up two hits in the game. Pearson, Richardson and Shank each scored a run, while Burns and Garcia each had an RBI.

"I think we're going to be able to hit the ball. We've got to be able to play defense and pitch to keep ourselves in games," Barnes said.

"We're definitely not going to dwell on this one, but we've definitely got to get better. We're going to go out, coach our tails off and the kids are going to work hard and get better as a whole."

JV loses two — Valley's junior varsity also lost twice, 14-4 to Hays and 11-4 to Derby.

The Indians led 6-0 after the first and 10-1 after two innings. No one had more than one hit or more than one RBI for the Hornets. Zak Keith took the loss.

Derby went up 9-0 after three innings, but Valley scored four times in the fourth. The Panthers put up two more runs in the fifth for the final score. Blaine Hightower drove in a pair of runs for Valley, as four players each had one hit. Max Fields took the loss.

Valley Center next plays April 5 at Hutchinson.

Hays 19, Valley Center 0

Hays 362 8 — 19 19 0

VC 000 0 — 0 1 2

Schumacher and Rule; Feather, Townsend (2) and Richardson. W — Schumacher. L — Feather (0-1). 2B — HAYS: Stout 2, Altman, Pfannenstiel, Young.

Derby 10, Valley Center 3

VC 100 001 1 — 3 9 3

Derby 601 120 x — 10 12 3

Gillig, Garcia (4) and Richardson; Sanders, Spillman (6) and Sadler. W — Sanders. L — Gillig (0-1). 2B — VC: Garcia; DRB: Sadler 2, Xanders, Olmstead, Welch.






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