Loggers win opener, drop doubleheader to Calgary
<p>Oliver Grupenhoff closed out the first game against the Calgary Redbirds. “Ollie” pitched an inning on the mound but played most of the game behind the plate as catcher.</p>
<p>Jared Winslow gets a forceout at second before turning two to Andrew Haggerty at first base against Calgary.</p>
A little bit of speed and a little bit of funk gave the Libby Loggers Legion baseball team an opening day win against the Calgary Redbirds Friday, 3-0.
A Canadian storm front moved in the next day, and the bats of the Redbirds buried the Loggers. Calgary took both games of the doubleheader to steal the series Saturday, 15-3 and 17-6.
Libby’s No. 1 rotation pitcher, Jared Winslow, went for five solid innings, allowing just one hit. His control waned slightly in his later innings, allowing four walks, but also struck out six.
He fanned the first Calgary batter with three quick pitches and took only six more pitches to retire the side.
The Loggers were quick to act on the offensive side as well, as Will Reichel bunted the first pitch the Loggers had seen all season for a single. While Libby was aggressive in the first two innings, notching several hits, Calgary’s defense locked down, and the Loggers became more timid at the plate.
“Hitting is going to be the last thing to come,” said Head Coach Kelly Morford. “We knew that coming into the game.”
Fielding was where the Loggers triumphed in the first game. Several fluid double-plays made Libby look in mid-season form. Winslow, Andrew Haggerty and Oliver Grupenhoff allowed just two hits all game.
“I’ve been warning kids all preseason that things were going to be rough,” Morford said. “Things went pretty smooth. Shows how much I know.”
When Winslow began to lose control, Haggerty took the mound for three innings. He allowed just one hit, two walks, and struck out three.
“That’s a great combo, Jared’s speed and my funk,” Haggerty said. “That’s what coach calls it, my Yaak funk.”
The older of the Haggerty brothers, Andrew, doesn’t have the speed of Winslow, but he has breaking balls that gave the Redbirds fits. He also has control and staying power. He and his brother, Luke, will be valuable assets on the mound for the Loggers this season.
Despite how good Libby looked in the Friday opener, Saturday was a different story. In the first game, a mercy-shortened 15-3 loss, Libby notched just four hits while committing five errors. Winslow went 2-for-2 with two RBIs and a run scored.
The second game of the doubleheader went even worse, ending after five innings in a 17-6 loss for Libby. Calgary outhit Libby only 11-9, but the Loggers walked 12 batters while the Redbirds walked just one.
Reichel and Cameron Burkes went 2-for-3 in the game.
The Loggers will host the Loggertown Wood Bat Classic this weekend, May 10-12. Kootenai Valley, Calgary, Strathmore and Missoula will all join Libby for the tournament.
Libby 3, Calgary 0
C: 000 000 000 – 0 2 1
L: 210 000 00x – 3 6 1
Calgary 15, Libby 3
C: 004 173 – 15 10 2
L: 100 020 – 3 4 5
Calgary 17, Libby 6
C: 002 0(15)x – 17 11 2
L: 103 02x – 6 9 2