By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Greg Hoke struck out 10 over five innings of work and the Waterloo Indians defeated Greece Olympia, 13-4 in the opening round of the East High Tournament on Tuesday.
After allowing a run on two hits in the first, Hoke set down five straight and six of the next eight batters he faced.
“That’s two good outings from him in a row,” Waterloo catch Dan McGuane said. “He’s throwing strikes. He’s getting ahead. That’s helping him out quite a bit.”
Hoke struck out the side in the fourth. He surrendered five hits and three walks for the game.
“He was in good command with his fastball,” McGuane noted. “His curveball was working too.”
“I was working the outside and inside parts of the plate,” Hoke said.”Moving the ball around on hitters.”
With an 11-2 advantage in the fifth, Hoke surrendered a a leadoff hit. Two outs later the junior right-hander issued a base on balls fetching a mound visit from McGuane. Hoke promptly responded with a punch out to end the threat.
“Just gave him a little breather,” McGuane explained. “He took advantage of that and got us out of the inning.”
Waterloo sent 10 to the plate, and Hoke capped the six-run fifth with a two-out, two run single.
Evan Shumway started the inning with an infield single on a hard-hit ball to third. Derek Slywka walked. Jake Webb singled, and Nick Webb brought home the first run of the inning when he was hit by pitch.
Hoke plated Matt Barron and Jake Dygert to make it an 11-2 game.
Hoke doubled to start the game, and Waterloo took advantage of two walks and two hit by pitch to push across three runs in the first.
Slywka led the third with a walk. Jake Webb followed with a base hit and Waterloo went on to score two in the frame.
“It gives confidence for the rest of the game,” Hoke said of his team’s ability to score runs early. “Throw strikes because you got the defense behind you.”
Slywka reached base four times – all on walks and scored three times. Jake Webb went 2-for-3 and was hit by pitch twice. He also scored three runs.
“We opened it up a little bit,” McGuane stated. “It was nice to get the kids on base. Getting them running the bases.”
CJ Stevens came out of the bullpen for Waterloo and struck out the side in order in the sixth.
Johnny Carson was 2-for-3 with a walk, stolen base and a run scored. Carson also reached on an error.
Waterloo won its second straight and improved to 3-3 on the season. The Indians will take on the host East in the championship game. A 2 PM start time on Thursday is scheduled. Greece Olympia will play Lyons in the 11 AM consolation game.
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