The baseball team crushed the Menlo Knights 6-2 on Wednesday afternoon.
The game opened with quick, efficient plays from both teams. The Knights got on base and scored a run with an RBI through the 5-6 hole in the top of the first inning. However, the Bears responded quickly in the bottom of the first as freshman left fielder Oliver Coupe hit a stand-up double. Shortly after, Ol. Coupe scored on a bad pickoff to second base, concluding the first inning with the score tied 1-1.
M-A had excellent defense in the top of the second with three straight outs, leaving the Knights with no chance to score. In the bottom of the second, sophomore right fielder Luke Ten Vaanholt hit a hard single in the 5-6 hole, and right after senior first baseman Max Brubacher was hit by a pitch, leaving the Bears with runners on first and second base. Despite this, M-A was unable to score, as Menlo’s pitcher struck out two batters, and a groundout to their second baseman ended the second inning 1-1.
In the top of the third inning, senior second baseman Joe Pagee* caught a fast line drive and threw the ball to Brubacher at first base for an impressive double play. Shortly after, Ol. Coupe snagged a pop fly in left field for the third out. The bottom of the third went quickly as the Knights’ defense was strong, not allowing M-A to get into scoring position, leaving the third inning even at 1-1.
In the top of the fourth, Menlo tried to make a push, starting off with a single to right center. After a hard-hit grounder through the 3-4 hole, the Knights’ runners remained on first and third base. A hard chopper was hit to freshman third baseman Owen Coupe, who delivered it to home to get the runner out.
With runners on first and second base, Ten Vaanholt walked the batter, leaving the bases loaded for Menlo. After a hit up the middle, senior shortstop Ryder Kelly got the runner out at second base, but this allowed the runner at third to score, taking a 2-1 lead. However, the Bears were soon able to field a groundout and flip to offense.
In the bottom of the fourth, M-A struggled to score a run, despite Ten Vaanholt hitting a high ball off the center field wall for a stand-up double. Junior center fielder Merrick Lee laid down a bunt, reaching first on an error. Brubacher walked, leaving the Bears in a good position with the bases loaded, but Menlo’s pitcher halted this run by striking three batters in a row, finishing the fourth inning with a 2-1 lead in favor of Menlo.
On the mound, senior pitcher Caden Lewis continued to deliver a steady performance throughout the first five innings. Behind the plate, freshman catcher Joey Dresch played a crucial role for the Bears, blocking multiple pitches and preventing runners from advancing, including a key stop that shut down Menlo’s attempt at stealing a base.
“We just stayed in the fight and had a good mindset at the plate to not strike out and to compete,” Ellazar said.
The momentum finally shifted in favor of M-A at the bottom of the fifth as Kelly hit a double to left center to start the inning off strong. Following Kelly, Ol. Coupe and Ellazar walked, setting the Bears up with loaded bases. With an RBI in the 5-6 by Lee, Kelly was able to score and tie the game at 2-2. Continuing M-A’s offensive masterclass, Brubacher came up to bat and immediately nailed a ball in the 3-4 hole, allowing both Ol. Coupe and Ellazar to find home and give M-A a 4-2 lead. Additionally, senior center fielder Gianni Olivero got an RBI down the middle to score another run for M-A. With loaded bases, a clumsy throw to pick off the runner at first by the Knights allowed the ball to get away, and the runner at third base capitalized on this by stealing home plate. The Knights concluded with a caught foul ball for the third out, ending the inning with M-A in a comfortable 6-2 lead.
The Bears carried their momentum into the sixth, pressuring the Knights. Lewis took the mound to start the inning, walking the first batter. He quickly recovered by striking out the second batter, though another walk put runners on first and second. The defense stepped up in a critical moment, as Pagee flipped the ball to Kelly, who fired it to Brubacher at first to complete a smooth double play and send M-A to the offense.
With the lead in hand, M-A was not able to score any more points, as Ten Vaanholt smashed the ball to the back of left field’s fence for a double, celebrating as he reached second. Shortly after, Ellazar drew a walk to put two runners on base, but the Knights were able to hold strong defense, catching two popouts and a groundout to second base to end the inning, 6-2.
In the bottom of the seventh, Ow. Coupe took to the mound to close out the game. He struck out the first batter with confidence, and a strong defensive play by Lee secured the second out. With the dugout energized, Ow. Coupe delivered the final blow, striking out the last batter and securing the 6-2 victory.
“I think our energy really helps us win a lot of these games,” Ellazar said.
The Bears will face the Menlo Knights in an away game on Friday at 4 p.m.
*Joe Pagee is a journalist for the M-A Chronicle.
