GRANGER — The season opener between Woodward-Granger and host Ogden ended in a 2-1 victory for the Hawks as the visitors won a battle in which fundamentals and doing the “little things” right was critical.
Monday’s rematch was the same kind of game, with Ogden recording just four hits and host W-G only three. Once more, the “little things” mattered, as a passed ball and a sacrifice fly produced the only runs in a 2-0 Hawk victory.
Ogden (10-8 overall, 6-5 in WCC play) managed just four hits off sophomore starter Cole Theisen, who struck out four while tossing the complete game shutout.
“Cole is really throwing well, and tonight he retired the lead-off batter in every inning and threw first-pitch strikes to 20 of the 28 batters he faced,” a proud W-G head coach Eric Evans said. “He has thrown 11 consecutive shutout innings in conference games, and you can’t find fault in that.”
W-G (10-6, 9-3) scored in the third inning when Jordan Pierce reached on an error, stole second base and reached third on Bryce Achenbach’s sacrifice bunt. He raced home on a passed ball for a 1-0 lead.
Marcus McConahay’s second base and second stolen base of the game put a runner on second with no one out in the sixth. He advanced to third when Brady Aunspach did one of the “little things” by hitting behind the runner in grounding out to second base for the first out of the frame. Theisen’s sacrifice fly to right field scored McConahay with an insurance run.
Race Brant had the only other hit for W-G while adding a stolen base.
W-G visits Des Moines Christian tonight before playing a WCC varsity doubleheader at Stuart against West Central Valley Thursday.
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