By Paul Gotham
ITHACA, NY — Derek Howe (Perth, ONT./St.John’s) held the Ithaca BombersJV hitless asthe Monroe Community College Tribunes earned a double-header split in non-conference action at Freeman Field.
Howe struck out five and walked three while not allowing the Bombers to get a runner past second in leading the Tribunes to a 2-0 triumph.
The right-hander kept the Bombers off-balance with a solid mix of pitches.
“Derek established the strike zone early,” head coach Mike Kelly commented. “He did a good job getting ahead early in the count.”
The Tribunes flashed the leather in support of their starter. Wes Hoppner (Ottawa, ONT./Holy Trinity) went into foul territory and threw out a runner from the third base coaches’ box in the second. The sophomore followed that with a bare-handed play on a swinging-bunt ground ball to throw out the lead-off man in the fourth.
Nick Bunce (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena) made a running catch in right field on a sinking line drive in the fifth, and catcher A.J. Kehlenbeck (Oakfield,NY/Oakfield-Alabama) threw out a runner at second in the third.
The MCC nine got all the runs it would need in the top of the first.
Kevin Johnson (Webster,NY/Webster-Thomas) led the game with a double into left-center field. Steve Renaud (Ottawa, ONT/St. Joseph’s) moved the runner with a fly ball to right. Cody Mombourquette (Ottawa, ONT/Colonel By St. Matthews) plated Johnson with a hard hit ball to the shortstop.
The Tribunes took advantage of mistakes and added an insurance run in the fourth.
Mombourquette singled down the left-field line to lead the frame. When a failed pick-off attempt at first went into foul territory, Mombourquette moved ninety feet. From there, the sophomore shortstop advanced to third on a balk.
Kehlenbeck delivered with a safety squeeze bunt, and the Black and Gold had their margin of victory.
Three Tribunes errors led to all of the Bomber run as Ithaca got revenge 3-2 in the night cap.
MCC left nine runners on base in the second game.
Mark Driesel (Kent, NY/Kendall) struck out five in three innings of work.
Cody Petre (Lechworth, NY/Letchworth) also fanned five while working three stanzas.
Bunce went 3-5 on the afternoon with a double, two walks, a stolen base and a run scored. Johnson had three hits including a two-bagger, a run scored and a stolen base. Mombourquette had a pair of hits, an RBI and a run scored. Ben Gielow (Webster, NY/ Webster Schroeder) went 1-2 with two base on balls and a sacrifice. Bobby Frantz (Webster, NY/Webster-Thomas) had a pair of walks and a stolen base.
Howe improved to 2-2.
Leave a Reply