by Steve Dunford 

WEST FRAKNFORT, IL –  The story of the afternoon was the battle of the bullpens.  Freshman Gabriel Motsinger came on in relief in the top of the fifth, pitching three scoreless innings to pick up the save for starter Nick Hale for the Tornadoes.

For the Redbirds, Tyson Broy pitched 5 1/3 innings only giving up one earned run.  West Frankfort starter Zach Lindsey had some hard luck behind him, only lasting 1 2/3 innings, giving up five runs and one of them earned.

The Redbirds defense on the afternoon was shoddy with seven errors.

I asked both coaches about the effort they got out of their bullpens.  Tornado coach Page Kirkpatrick said, “Motsinger got the ground balls when we needed them or a big strikeout, as he fanned three.

West Frankfort coach Michael Warren said, “Broy picked us up and gave us a chance. Lindsey did not have his best stuff, but he was decent.  The defense behind him let him down.  When you spot a good HS team four runs, it is tough to come back.”

Z-R-C scored two in the top of the first.  Gabe Schimpf singles over SS Bryson Dorris head. Kaeleb Pedigo beats out an infield single.  Steven Anderson and Bryce Pratt have RBI singles.  The Redbirds go down in order.

In the top of the second Dalton Carpenter reaches with a bloop single. Jason Cole reaches on a fielders choice and ends up aboard with an error.  Hale tries to sacrifice and it fails as a good play by Lindsey to gun Carpenter down at third.  Pedigo picks up another RBI single scoring Cole.  Anderson then has an RBI base hit scoring courtesy runner Cam Newton.  Shane McKowen picks up a base hit.  Warren then brings Broy into the game and Bryce Pratt grounds out.  The score is 5-0

West Frankfort makes some noise in the bottom of the inning.  Lindsey reaches on an error. Jaryd Clark and Dorris follow with base hits. Brendan Russel draws a walk and an RBI.  Brandon Glass grounds into a double play.  The Redbirds had bases loaded and no one out and only scored one, which makes it 5-1 after two.

Both teams go down in order in the third.

In the top of the fourth, Shimpf picks up a one out single and steals second, and ends the inning stranded at third.

In the bottom of the inning Logan Elko singles.  Jaryd Clark hits a one out double.  Dorris reaches on a two base error scoring Elko and Clark.  Tornado shortstop Luke Garver robs Brendan Russell of a double on a screaming line drive.  Glass strikes out

Z-R-C goes down quietly in the top of the fifth.  WF makes some noise though as they have bases loaded with no one out with a pair of singles from Lucas Wolfe and Peyton Overturf.  Elko Ks.  Lindsey grounds into a fielders choice scoring Wolfe.  Jared Clark pins Schimpf up against the warning track.  Motsinger put out the Redbird fire as he came in with two on no one out.  After five West Frankfort cuts into the lead 5-4

In the top of the sixth, Cole legs out an IF single.  Motsinger drops down a perfect SAC bunt.  Schimpf gets a base hit to center and Glass throws a perfect strike to 2B Jacob Russell who entered the game in the second when Broy took the mound to gun down Schimp.  He drives in Cole.  Pedigo flies out to right.

In the bottom  of the sixth, Dorris opens with a single.  B. Russell grounds into a fielder choice as 2B Kaeleb Pedigo with a diving stop flips to SS Luke Garver  for the force out.  Motsinger fans two in a row as it is 6-4 Z-R-C after six.

In the top of the seventh, Anderson reaches with a single. he swipes second and third.  An overthrow by Peyton Overturf brings Anderson into score.  The Tornadoes go down quietly then.

In the bottom of the seventh a diving catch by CF Gabe Schimpf robs Tyson Dorris of at least a double.  Overturf gets on with a base hit and Elko grounds into a double play for a 7-4 final.

The Tornadoes improve to 14-4 on the year.  Coach Kirkpatrick said “When you beat a quality opponent out of the Black Diamond on the road it is huge for us.  He went on to say that other than beating 1A defending State Champion Goreville, it is their biggest win of the year.”

The Tornadoes go on the road to face the Vienna Eagles tomorrow afternoon, who they won a 2-1 extra inning thriller at home Tuesday in BDC play.

The Redbirds fall to 5-6.  They will play the Herrin Tigers on the road tomorrow in SIRR OHIO play, weather permitting for both games as the forecast looks unfavorable.

ZEIGLER-ROYALTON-CHRISTOPHER BOX SCORE

PLAYER             AB   R    H   RBI

CF  Schimpf           4     1     3     1

2B  Pedigo             4     1     2      2

C     Anderson        4     2     3     1

CR Motsinger        0     0    0     0

1B  McCowen        4    0     1     0

3B  Pratt               4     1     1     1

SS  Garver            3    0     0    0

LF  Carpenter       3    0     1    1

RF  Cole                 3    2     1    0

P  Hale                   2    0    0     0

CR Newton           0    0    0    0

P Motsinger       0   0    0    0

SB Schimpf, Anderson (2) SAC Motsinger

WEST FRANKFORT BOX SCORE

PLAYER                       AB    R    H    RBI

LF  Wolfe                          4     1     1     0

2B-P Broy                         3    0    0     0

C  Overturf                       3    0    1      0

CR  Allen                      0    0    0     0

CR  Archione               0    0    0    0

P-RF  Lindsey                  3    1    1     1

3B  Clark                           3“1    2    0

SS   Dorris                         3    0    1    0

DH  B. Russell                  2    1     1     1

CF  Glass                         3    0     0    0

RF  Sturgill                      0    0    0    0

2B  J. Russell                   0    0    0    0

2B:  Clark  HBP:  Bory (Hale)

PITCHING      IP     R    ER    H   SO    BB

Z-R-C   

Hale (W)             4        4     1        5      1        1

Motsinger (SV)  3        0    0        3      0       0

 

WF

Lindsey (L)       1 2/3    5    2       6     0        0

Broy                   5 1/3    2    1       6     2         0

 

LINE SCORE 

Z-R-C       230   001    1 –  7    12    2

WF            010   210    0    4      8    7