Baseball: Mistakes doom Chemics against Warriors

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For most of the game, Midland High’s varsity baseball team played well.

Unfortunately, a little error-filled baseball was enough to do them in.

Despite committing three errors early, the Chemics were in the game until late when two more costly errors put the go-ahead run on third in the top of the seventh, and a bunt brought him in to give Bay City Western a 4-3 win over Midland in the opening round of the district baseball tournament.

“You can’t make five errors against a team like Bay City Western,” said a visibly disappointed Midland coach Eric Albright. “You can’t give them four or five outs an inning. We beat ourselves today.”

Chemic mistakes took effect in the third inning, after Justyn Witzgall walked for the Warriors. Midland attempted a pitch out, but when Witzgall took off for second, no one was covering the base and he was able to make it all the way to third after the throw sailed into center field. Paul Ramseyer singled him home to give Western the early 1-0 lead.

The Chemics did not back down, though. In the bottom of the third, Drew Moulton singled and stole second. He came home when Jacob Enszer laced a single down the third baseline to tie the game 1-1.

But it didn’t stay tied for long.

The following inning, Alex Kravat reached base for the Warriors, when his pop-up was dropped. Chad Jasman came up and laid down a bunt, but the fielding throw was sent past first base allowing Kravat to reach third and Jasman to make it to second. K.C. Kleaver singled them both home to give Western the 3-1 lead.

Once again, Midland responded.

In the bottom of the fourth, Blake Benner singled to leftfield. Michael Albrecht was brought in as a pinch runner and was moved over to third. Kenny Babinski hit a ground ball to shortstop, but the Warriors had a throwing error of their own, allowing Babinski to make it all the way to second and Albrecht home bringing the Chemics within one. Cameron Hall then brought Babinski home with a single to make it 3-3.

“The game is about momentum, and we were able to come back just to their level,” Albright said. “(But) we were unable to capture the momentum. And that’s what the game requires. You have to capture momentum, not just play even with them.”

Unfortunately, he was right.

The Chemics played even with Western until the top of the seventh, when defensive miscues reared their ugly head again.

With one out, Ramseyer hit a hard grounder and made it to second on a throwing error. Kravat launched a fly ball to deep right field that was dropped letting Ramseyer make it to third. He came home in the next at-bat when Jasman laid down a bunt that the Chemics couldn’t field in time to make a play, giving the Warriors a 4-3 lead.

Midland saw its season end, when they couldn’t answer in the bottom half.

Blake Benner started for the Chemics and went the distance, allowing four unearned runs on seven hits.

Meanwhile, Jasman picked up the win allowing four hits in seven innings of work.

“We’re a baseball team that’s expected to make plays at the end of the season…,” Albright said. “Blake gave us a chance to win, and that’s all you can ask from your starting pitcher. We didn’t play up to our potential at the end of the year, and that’s what’s disappointing.”

The Chemics finish their season with a record of 22-14.

Western moves on to the second round at Western High, where they will take on Midland Dow Saturday at 10 a.m.