Lehman fell to a great pitching effort and a lack of timely hitting as Delphos Jefferson advanced to Friday’s regional final with Reading.
 

05/29/09 - Sonny Fulks/1570wptw.com

Fifteen minutes after Lehman’s Nick Pulfer struck out on a check swing to end Lehman’s second consecutive bid for a regional title in baseball, coach Dave King’s competitive fires were as hot as they’d been all afternoon.

The Cavaliers had just fallen a run short to Delphos Jefferson righthander Craig Carder, who limited Lehman to just two runs and seven hits on the afternoon. Carder struck out ten and walked but two as the Wildcats advanced to Friday’s regional final with a 3-2 win at Wayne High School.

But good as Carder’s effort was, Lehman starter Kam Barton matched him nearly pitch for pitch.

But for a two-run home in the bottom of the first inning by Delphos second baseman Sean Fisher, Barton’s effort might have been the game story of a Lehman win. As it turned out…it was what mighta’, coulda’, and shoulda’ in the mind of the Cavs’ venerable coach.

“The story of the game…we just didn’t hit,” fumed King, hands on hips and challenging in his post-game summation with his team.

“We had our chances and I told them…a lot of people came to the plate with an opportunity to deliver the big hit today. We just didn’t do it.”

In reality, there weren’t a “lot” of people to drive in. Craig Carder saw to that. But after two were out in the bottom of the second inning Lehman did load the bases for David Spearman with a walk to center fielder Ben Weber, an infield single by right fielder D.J. Hemm, and another walk to designated hitter Josh Waugh. Spearman left the bases loaded, striking out on a high fastball.

In the third inning, catcher Wil Fridley did deliver the big hit…an rbi double to right center following a single by Kameron Barton. But with Fridley standing on second, leading hitter Corbin Peltier (.444 entering play) grounded out short to first.

From that point, Carder retired the next six hitters in order, through the fourth and fifth innings, grimly clinging to a tenuous 2-1 lead.

But Lehman’s sixth opened optimistically when Barton again delivered a base hit, a double down the left field line that appeared to be just what the doctor ordered. It was second base, none out, and an opportunity to get the lead runner to third where he could score on a base hit, a ground out, or a sacrifice fly from following hitters Fridley, Peltier and Ben Weber.

But Fridley flew out harmlessly to center field…harmlessly in the regard that Barton did not tag up and advance to third base after the catch, and no pressure applied to Carder and the Delphos defense.

Corbin Peltier then popped up…a mile-high job right in the middle of the infield that Carder took himself. Two outs, and still, Kam Barton standing at second base.

That brought Weber to the plate, and the impressive freshman center fielder promptly took an outside fastball and lined it into the hole between short and third base for a base hit to left field. Unfortunately, Barton was standing at second, and the ball was hit too hard for him to have a legit chance to score. The next hitter, another freshman, D.J. Hemm, struck out.

King did not second-guess himself, and defended his decision to not take the bat out of Fridley’s hands with a sacrifice attempt.

“Sure, you think about it in that situation, but I also had a .400 hitter at the plate who had hit the ball hard in his previous at bat…and made good contact contact again on the fly ball to center field. Kameron tagged up, but he left too soon…and he knew it…and had to go back to the bag.

“It’s easy to question it now, after Weber’s base hit, because that would have scored the tying run…but I won’t second-guess myself..”

Delphos, for a moment, breathed easier in the bottom of the sixth when shortstop Aaron Schuerman homered to right off Barton to give Carder and the Wildcats a presumed insurance run. They’d need it. For after leadoff hitters Waugh and Spearman struck out to open the top of the seventh for Lehman, shortstop Kaleb Goins tomahawked a fastball down the left field line and out of the ballpark for a home run that cut the deficit again to a single run.

Nick Pulfer, who so many times throughout his Lehman career had delivered on the football field, the wrestling mat, and on the diamond, came to the plate with an opportunity extend the inning and the Cavs’ hope for a comeback. He could not…striking out on a check swing to end the game.

“That’s the situation you think about all year and every time you’re in the cage taking batting practice,” admitted the ever-classy Cavs’ senior, afterwards. “You don’t want to take strike three, and you have to be aggressive. I just couldn’t lay off the last pitch.”

In the Delphos dugout, coach Troy Montenery was assessing his team’s win over a team that had every incentive in the world to play as tough as what the Cavs did, despite the lack of more timely hitting.

“We knew they would come in here ready to play after we beat them 10-0 in this same game last year,” he admitted. “The kids had heard it around the Lima area all spring…that Lehman was a more experienced team and would give us a lot better game if we met them again.”

But Montenery, whose Wildcats scored 46 runs in three previous tourney wins over Ada, New Knoxville and Crestview, was feeling pretty good about his own team as he packed his bags for the trip back to Auglaize County.

“I think to a man we left here after the loss to Ft. Loramie last year determined to come back more prepared, and we did…especially with our pitching. We still have our number one guy rested and ready to go tomorrow, and the effort Craig gave us today is all you could ask for. That’s the second complete-game victory like that he’s given us in the tournament.

“Lehman’s a good team, obviously. They made plays today, they got good pitching, and they had a lot of reason to come back and win after last year.”

None of which made Dave King feel any better as he packed up for his own trip home…shorter in miles, but longer in terms of disappointment.

“We made the plays, and Kam pitched a great game against a team that had scored 46 runs in their previous three games. 46 runs, and he holds them to three runs on seven hits. Go write about that,” he said flatly, more than a little proud of Barton’s effort.

That said, Dave King paused for a moment and a pained smile came to his face…the kind that signifies bitter-sweet accomplishment.

“We just didn’t hit,” he repeated, as he and the Cavaliers sadly left for Sidney.