G-M Titans open with split
G-M Titans open with split
By STU MERRY
The Titans American Legion baseball team opened the 2013 campaign with a pair of resounding wins over Crosby on the Cubs’ home field this past Sunday.
Monday, it was the Titans’ turn to be humbled on their home field. The team doing the humbling was the Velva Legion Post.
Against the Cubs, the Titans won handily, 18-2 and 7-zip on the arm of an Andrew Haugen no-hitter. It was quite a way to start the season and had the Titans looking up. Monday, it was Velva all the way, 16-8 and 22-9.
Coach Blake Reinholt said the games in Crosby went well for being the first two contests of the season.
“I was impressed with the way we came out and hit the ball,” he said. “The entire line-up was putting the ball in play which was encouraging. Reinholt said the pitching was second to none throughout.
“We had great pitching performances from Luke (Gehring), Brett (O’Grady, in relief) and Andrew (Haugen),” Reinholt said.
Crosby batters only mustered two hits – both in the first game as Haugen closed the door in the nightcap.
It was a different story Monday in Garrison.
“The Velva games kind of exposed some fielding issues that we will have to address going forward,” Reinholt said. “We’ll need to field the ball better and be more consistent on our throws.”
Reinholt shared that in a couple innings the team was giving away five or six outs. The opportunistic Velva squad made the Titans pay for their transgressions capitalizing with eight- and nine-run innings.
The Titans were to play in the Surrey Blue Sox Tournament June 7 and 8, but those contests were canceled due to rain and field conditions.
