Delta Splits on the Road with Macomb

Warren, MI – Delta played its second consecutive double-header on Friday, traveling to Warren to take on the Monarchs of Macomb Community College.  The Pioneers were able to pull out an 8-6 win in extra innings in game one before dropping the nightcap, 6-2.  The split leaves them with a 25-18 overall record on the season and 13-9 in MCCAA Eastern Conference play.  They currently reside in third place in the conference, two games behind second place Lansing and one game ahead of Macomb and Mott Community College.

Game one saw DC jump on the Monarchs early as Zack Booth was plunked with the second pitch of the game and went to third on a Hunter David single to right field.  Z Westley singled to left to score Booth and when David moved up to third, Brady Leppek brought him home with a bunt single to make it 2-0. 

Peyton Jurek would then walk to load the bases before Aaron Esparza, now running for Westley, was brought home on a Ty Jones squeeze to make it 3-0.  Leppek would later score on a passed ball to give Delta a quick 4-0 lead after one inning of play. 

"We came out ready to answer the bell in both games," said head coach Danny Smith.  "That first inning caught Macomb off guard a little bit.  They don't get behind very often and we got ahead of them twice, early, today."

Macomb wouldn't go away quietly though as they answered with six runs in their half of the first to go up, 6-4 on a walk, three doubles and four singles.

Justin Heinlein led off the top of the second with a walk and stole second base before being brought home by a Westley double to left-center to make the score 6-5.  The Pioneers tied the game at 6-6 in the top of the third when Leppek reached via an error and was moved to second on a misplayed bunt off the bat of Jurek.  Both runners moved up on a wild pitch before Mitch Morley executed a perfect squeeze bunt to bring home Leppek.

From there, Delta starting pitcher Thomas Fortney faced just three batters over the minimum shutting out Macomb into the top of the eighth inning.  He was aided by three double plays in the first seven innings as DC played stellar defense on the day.

With the score still tied heading in to extra innings, Morley led off the eighth with a single to left and was moved to second on a bunt by Heinlein.  After a fly out made it two outs, Macomb elected to walk left-handed hitting Hunter David with first base open and face Westley instead.  The sophomore catcher made them pay the price as he laced a double off the fence in left-center bringing home both runners to make it 8-6 in favor of Delta.

But the drama hadn't unfolded all the way quite yet.

Fortney was able to get the first Monarch hitter out in the bottom of the eighth before surrendering a single to center field.  A walk followed to put the game-tying run aboard but then he was able to get a strike out – his fifth of the game – for the second out.  Another walk loaded the bases and ended the day for him as he was lifted in favor of left-handed throwing Guy Henika.

Macomb then inserted a pinch hitter to get a righty-lefty matchup but Henika picked up the strikeout instead to secure the win and pick up his second save of the year.

"I told our coaching staff that these games with Macomb and Mott over the next two weekends are going to be fun because statistically we all match up evenly," said Smith.  "It was a fun game and I'm proud of the way the men continued to battle after that first inning.  I can't say enough about Thomas and Guy and the job they did to keep us in it and then win it."

Fortney improves to 3-2 on the year with the win while Z Westley led the offense with three hits and four RBI. 

Game two saw Delta once again jump out to an early lead as they would draw three consecutive two-out walks to load the bases in the top of the first.  That's when Peyton Jurek doubled down the right field line to plate two runs.  The score remained 2-0 until the third inning when Macomb tied it with a two-run homerun to left.  They would pick up back-to-back two-out walks before a single to left would score a run and make it 3-2.

The Pioneers wouldn't threaten the rest of the game, collecting just three hits overall.  Justin Jurek took the loss on the hill to drop his record to 4-3 on the season.  Hunter David led the offense with two hits while Peyton Jurek added two RBI.

Delta completes the series tomorrow as they host Macomb in a 1pm double-header at Wickes Park in Saginaw Township.