Wolverines open season with win over Caldwell

Weiser Wolverine baseball opened up their season with a home game against 4A Caldwell on March 9. Wolverine fans braved some cold weather to watch a neck and neck game between the two teams.
 Some baseball fans want to see the big ups and downs at a game to keep it exciting, but true baseball fans know that there isn’t a better game than the one that ends up 2-1 with the go ahead run late in the game. That is just what the Weiser fans got last week.
 Weiser and Caldwell were tied 1-1 and then late in the sixth inning, Weiser managed the go ahead run to take the lead and hold on for a 2-1 win over Caldwell. Weiser managed 5 hits for two runs, while Caldwell had 4 hits for 1 run.
 And even more amazing for an opening season game, Weiser had zero errors. Not a single error was made and solid baseball was played by all Wolverines.
 Nathan McDaniel stood tall on the mound to pitch for the Wolverines. He completed four innings, and struck out two batters, before Braden Edwards came in to finish the last three innings and take the win. Edwards struck out three batters.
 On the offensive side of the plate, Weiser had five hits from five different players. Normally you see a team have a solid first through fourth batters and then the rest are less experienced. Not so for the Wolverines in 2020. Their batters are pretty solid all the way through the lineup.
 Leading the five hits were senior, Matthew Morris with a double that was the go ahead run for the Wolverines and Kooper von Brethorst who also had a double to start the game. Brett Spencer, Jack Burke, and Willy Shirts all added base hits. Matthew Morris and Willy Shirts also added an RBI apiece to their stats to help score runs for their team.
 “I was impressed with these gentlemen this opening game. They worked hard and kept their noses to the grindstone, playing some solid baseball,” coach Bowe von Brethorst said. “Everything worked today, pitching, hitting, and especially fielding. These kinds of games usually come toward the end of the year, but we will take it, because they deserve it.”
 Weiser then got a couple of practices in during the week and played 2A New Plymouth in a  double-header on Saturday at Walter Johnson field. The Wolverines won the first game 7-4.      During the first game, Weiser got off and running with some good defense and then a few base hits by the top of the order scoring two runs for the Wolverines. Pitching for the Wolverines was sophomore Willy Shirts, who went four and a third innings, striking out three Pilgrims and receiving the win for the Wolverines.
 In the third inning, Weiser took off on a tear picking up three runs. During the third inning, Willy Shirts, Ray Calley, Jarret Mink, and Jack Burke each had a base hit to advance and score runners. Matthew Morris came in during the fifth inning for Shirts and pitched one and two-thirds innings for the Wolverines, striking out one Pilgrim. Nathan McDaniel then came in to finish the game, pitching one inning and striking out two batters.
 One notable defensive play came in the second inning by sophomore catcher Jack Burke. Burke made a nice play on a bunt and gave a good throw to first to get the out. Weiser also played a little small ball, putting some nice bunts down to move batters around and Ray Calley put one down that the Pilgrims didn’t know what to do with and all runners were safe.
 This game was one that was a little exciting in the fifth inning, where Weiser allowed four runs to come in, but they didn’t let that get to them and they responded well.
 “I liked the response today,” coach von Brethorst said. “We faced some adversity and some dynamic play, but we didn’t hang our heads and pout because it didn’t go our way. Instead, we handled it like men, taking a look at what happened and doing things differently the next time. As a coach, I can’t ask for more than that.”
 Individual offensive stats include Kooper von Brethorst with a double, Levi Swank with a hit, Jack Burke with two hits, Jarret Mink with two hits, Brett Spencer with two hits, Ray Calley with three hits, and Willy Shirts with three hits. Braden Edwards had two RBIs for the Wolverines followed by Brett Spencer and Jarret Mink with one each.
 After a half-hour break between games, the Wolverines went to work again. Von Brethorst was happy with the  double--header, stating, “We like to work through these  double--headers early in the season. It allows us as coaches to see the depth of our players and pitchers. We watch a lot of different things during a  double--header that helps us to coach and work on deficiencies throughout the rest of the year.”
 This second game was an exciting one as well with Weiser putting up four runs in the first inning. During the first innings, junior, Kooper von Brethorst, laid down a pretty bunt and legged it out to get on base. Braden Edwards worked the pitchers all day and walked to get on base, followed by Willy Shirts getting hit by a pitch.
 With bases loaded, Brett Spencer hit a hard ground ball and got on base by a shortstop error, scoring von Brethorst. Weiser had two outs and then Tyler Pope hit a nice double out to right field and scored Edwards, Shirts, and Spencer. Jarret Mink was the winning Wolverine starting pitcher with four innings under his belt and only allowed one hit and one run while striking out five Pilgrims.
 Ray Calley came in to relieve Mink going two and a third innings. Nathan McDaniel again came in to finish the game going two-thirds of an inning. Weiser won the game 10-4 with a scary seventh inning where New Plymouth scored three runs.
 Individual offensive stats include both Brett Spencer and Tyler Pope with doubles. Kooper von Brethorst, Willy Shirts, Brett Spencer, Ray Calley, and Jack Burke each had a base hit. Congratulations to Tyler Pope who not only had that double, but had two hits for the Wolverines, was 2 for 3 at the plate, and had three RBI’s. Brett Spencer had two RBIs, followed by Matt Morris, Jack Burke and Jarret Mink with one each.
 Wolverines will travel to Buhl and Filer this next weekend to start off spring break. Go Wolverines!
 

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18 E. Idaho St.
Weiser, ID 83672
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