The rain never stopped falling and, it appeared, the runs from North Polk were just as unlikely to cease during Tuesday’s non-conference baseball game at Progressive Field.
North Polk (12-4) had no problems playing in soaked uniforms, belting 10 hits and happily accepting a combined 11 walks and four hit batsmen to post a 12-2 win in five innings. Perry (0-12) was sharp defensively on the wet diamond, committing only one error but unable to have the bats come alive.
The two teams started the varsity contest early, and then did not play a junior varsity game as a soft but continual shower fell throughout the game. The Perry coaching staff applied quick-dry to the mound on several occasions and also worked to keep the area around home plate in good condition, with their efforts helping play continue, although the accumulated moisture was simply too much to allow a JV contest to be safely played.
The Comets shelled Bluejay starter Alex Morales for six runs (five earned) in just two-thirds of an inning, with left-handed hitting Jeff Lamp launching a deep two-run home run to spark the surge.
The guests added a single tally in the second as Lamp turned on an inside pitch and jerked the ball out of the field for a solo shot, his second in as many innings and third of the season.
Three Comets scored in the third, pushing the score to 10-0 before Perry answered with a two-run spurt.
Kaleb Olejniczak walked with one-out, with a Justin Stammer runner putting two Jays on the bases. Keghan West beat out an infield hit that plated Olejniczak, with a ground out from Conner Kenyon driving Stammer home to cap the rally.
Perry’s only other hit was an infield single from Stammer in the first, with a walk to Caden Steva in the second the only other Bluejay runners to reach beside Kato Dougan, who opened the fifth by getting aboard on an error. He was left stranded at first, one of three Jays left on base, with the Comets stranding 11 batters in five frames.
The guests put the mercy rule into effect by scoring twice in the top of the fifth.
Andrew Weig tossed all five frames for North Polk, yielding two runs on three hits. He walked two and struck out two.
Morales allowed three hits and three walks while hitting one batter. Steva relieved, tossing three innings in which he surrendered four runs on six hits while walking five and hitting one batter. Kaden Boyer pitched the final 1-1/3 for Perry, yielding two runs on one hit, three walks and two hit batsmen. Both Steva and Boyer finished with one strikeout.
Perry hosts Carroll tonight and Boone Thursday to complete a five-game home stand.
