By KEVIN HARRIS
Kevin.Harris@newsandtribune.com
May 30, 2009 01:55 am
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CLARKSVILLE — Last month, the Providence baseball team played its worst game of the season, suffering a 15-5 loss to Austin.
But on Friday on their home field, the Pioneers redeemed themselves against the Eagles and played one of their best games of the year.
Providence defeated Austin in the first round of the Class 2A Providence Sectional, 10-1. The Pioneers (16-9) advanced to Monday’s semifinals, where they will face Pekin Eastern at 5 p.m. Providence defeated the Musketeers earlier in the season, 9-5.
“We were disappointed because we felt that we didn’t represent ourselves very well,” Providence head coach Scott Hornung said about the regular-season matchup with the Eagles. “It wasn’t anything about them or against them. It was about the way we represented our program and the way that we played. We wanted to do better this time, which we did.”
In Friday’s second first-round game, Clarksville downed Paoli, 4-2. The Generals will face Brownstown in Monday’s second semi at about 7:30 p.m.
PROVIDENCE-AUSTIN
The star of the game for the Pioneers was senior starting pitcher Jeffrey Schueler.
The right-hander collected the complete-game victory, giving up one earned run on five hits and three walks. Schueler struck out 10, which included fanning six of the last seven batters he faced.
“I thought he was very average in the first couple of innings and wasn’t really doing his best at that particular time,” Hornung said. “Then, we got that run (in the second inning) to tie it up. Then we took the lead and I saw his confidence just build every inning after that.”
Schueler got comfortable on the mound after the Pioneers plated four runs in the bottom of the third inning to go up 5-1.
“Early in the game, I was trying to pitch around the hitters rather than going right at them,” Schueler said. “It’s always easier to pitch with the lead. I just started going after them and making them earn it.”
Providence sophomore Anthony Denis got the offense going in the third. He smacked a single to center field to drive in Schueler to put the Pioneers up 2-1.
Providence scored its next three runs with two out. Sophomore Brett Robinson collected an RBI double, followed by Joe Becht hitting an opposite-field single to right to knock in Ryan Dixon and Robinson.
“We spoke about being a good two-strike hitter and reducing our strikeouts,” Hornung said. “Brett Robinson got a two-strike hit and Joe Becht got a two-strike hit to drive in the second, third and fourth runs that inning. I think they just listened to the game plan, they shortened their swings and they put the ball in play.”
The Pioneers plated at least one run in each of the next three innings. The big hit in that stretch was a bases-loaded triple by Jason Dome with two out in the sixth that cleared the bases.
“All year long up to this point, we’ve had to be perfect everywhere in defense and pitching because we just haven’t been great offensively,” Hornung said. “So tonight, it was a breath of fresh air for us.”
Becht went 2-for-2 with three RBIs, while Denis and Dixon each scored twice. Denis also drove in two runs.
It was the fourth straight season that Providence and Austin have met in the sectional with each team winning twice. Schueler says a rivalry has developed between the two squads.
“Providence-Austin has always been a big rivalry, especially at sectional time,” he said. “With it being my senior year at our field, I just wanted to come out and get a big win.”
CLARKSVILLE-PAOLI
Robert Noe delivered a two-run single in the bottom of the seventh to provide the go-ahead runs in the win for the Generals.
Noe’s single scored Drew Farney and Sean Banks and put Clarksville into the semifinal round against the Braves.
“We finally realized we could start putting the bat on the ball against their pitching and scratched out a couple of runs,” said Clarksville coach Chris Kane. “Noe stepped up in a big spot and delivered.”
Noe and Banks each delivered a pair of hits in the win for Clarksville. Derick McNew got the win on the mound for Clarksville.
CLASS 2A PROVIDENCE SECTIONAL
FIRST ROUND
AUSTIN 010 000 0— 1 5 4
PROVIDENCE 014 113 x—10 7 2
W — Schueler (5-3). L — Rice. 2B — Rice (A), Robinson (P). 3B — Dome (P).
Record — Providence 16-9.
PAOLI 000 200 0—2 4 3
CLARKSVILLE 001 012 x—4 10 1
W — McNew. L — Manship. 2B — Starr (P); McNew (C).
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