LOGANSPORT – Plymouth’s Pilgrims put an exclamation point on their recovery from a weekend blip in their season as they got 13 more hits and an outstanding pitching performance on their way to a 13-4 win on the road at Logansport.
Plymouth pounded three Berry pitchers and took advantage of some uncharacteristic miscues to plate three first inning runs and never looking back in taking the win.
“We’ve had some good approaches,” said Plymouth head coach Ryan Wolfe, “We have strong athletic kids who seek fast balls and that’s what it’s all about. We let a lot of curve balls go by and when we saw fast balls we jumped on them.
“Getting runs early in the game takes a lot of pressure off the pitcher. There’s no secret. All the credit goes to the kids and coach Garrity and the approach they take up there with them.”
Plymouth starter Nate Nixon didn’t need a lot of pressure taken off as the senior right hander took a no hit shut out into the fifth inning when a bloop single to center spoiled the no hit bid. Nixon only walked four in the contest none before the fifth. He ended his night in the sixth, giving way to Cole Filson for the final inning having given up just three hits and striking out three.
“It doesn’t matter whether we had a big lead or not when you put zeroes up there the way Nate did,” said Wolfe. “He did a fantastic job, he was right around the plate. We didn’t throw many curve balls. He was right around the plate with his fastball getting ground balls, fly balls. He did a fantastic job.”
Cam Dennie had a big night with three hits including a triple, a homer and three RBI’s. Jeremy Drudge, Grant Stukenborg and Noah Pesak all had two hit games as the Plymouth hit parade continues. Including the win over Wawasee Wednesday night the Pilgrims have belted out 26 hits and scored 26 runs in the past two nights.
“We just keep doing what we’re doing,” said Wolfe. “It doesn’t matter who we play we play against ourselves and we have the same approach no matter who’s pitching. We hunt fastballs early in the count and that keeps you consistent no matter who your opponent is.”
The game had a strange quality for a Plymouth vs. Logansport contest, two of the best programs in northern Indiana, as the two teams combined for 10 errors in the game that was played on artificial turf.
“I looked up there and see 10 errors and I know it’s our first time playing on turf but they’ve played on it for quite awhile,” said Wolfe. “The ball does stay true, you don’t go get it or it takes a big hop and eats you up. In that way it was kind of a weird ball game.”
Plymouth moves to 8-3 with a crucial contest Friday night at NorthWood.
Plymouth 3 2 3 0 1 1 3 13-13-4
Logansport 0 0 0 0 3 1 0 4-3-6
WP – Nate Nixon. LP – Tucker Platt. HR – Cam Dennie (P). 3B – Dennie (P). 2B – Grant Stukenborg (P).
