Broncos prep for post season, claim a win against Mary Walker

The Lind-Ritzville/Sprague Broncos are approaching the end of the regular season after hitting the road to compete against Mary Walker and St. George’s.

Head Coach Jason Aldrich said the team continues to make improvements and their goal is to end the season with a winning record.

On Tuesday, April 18, the Broncos traveled to Springdale to compete in a league doubleheader against Mary Walker.

Garrett Frederick started as pitcher for the Broncos, and Aldrich said the freshman athlete continues to pitch well. Frederick claimed 12 strikeouts, allowed three hits, one walk and no earned runs.

Aldrich said Frederick is very efficient and can control his pitches well on the mound. During the game he used off-speed pitches sparingly in order to catch batters off guard, he explained.

Aldrich said the team also made solid contact at the plate and hit the ball well to earn an early lead. After the first inning the Broncos led 4-0.

Frederick remained a powerhouse on the mound and contributed to outs by striking out batters. Aldrich said the team also showcased improvement on defense as they reduced their number of fielding errors.

Halfway through the game the Broncos began to struggle at the plate and did not score again until the fifth inning. The LRS team remained strong on defense and prevented Mary Walker from scoring a single run during the game.

In the sixth inning the team scored four runs to win the game 9-0.

Bryce Kelly and Chandler Widman each claimed a single, Camden Smith had two hits and Cole Cameron hit a double. Aldrich said Frederick went two for two, Spencer Miller hit a triple and Patrick Bartz claimed a double.

Although they claimed the win, Aldrich said the team needs improvement in their hitting due to their high number of strikeouts.

Bryce Hansen began pitching for the second game and had six strikeouts, four walks and allowed five hits.

Aldrich said the team’s mental game began to lapse early in the game, which allowed Hansen’s pitch count to elevate and the game to remain close in score.

The Broncos went into the fifth inning ahead 4-2. Mary Walker continued to be successful at the plate and they scored three runs to tie the game 5-5 at the end of the inning.

Aldrich said the Broncos were determined to remain in the lead as they made contact with the ball at the plate and were aggressive on the bases.

He said they also took advantage of Mary Walker’s fielding errors and were quick to steal bases. Smith and Bartz had one hit, Hansen and Brenden Bell claimed two hits, and Miller had three RBIs.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Broncos scored two runs to take the lead 7-5. Mary Walker scored a run on offense to trail behind the Broncos by one run.

As a relief pitcher, Kelly walked a batter, which posed a threat on the bases for Mary Walker to possibly tie the game. He then struck out the next batter to claim the third out and end the game with a win for the Broncos 7-6.

The Broncos hit the road again to Spokane on Saturday, April 22, to face St. George’s in a non-league doubleheader.

Kelly started as pitcher for the first two innings of the game. He struck out two batters, walked two and allowed seven hits and four earned runs.

Aldrich said the team struggled on defense as they had multiple fielding and throwing errors, which allowed St. George’s to gain the lead early in the game

The Dragons were strong on offense and were ahead 4-2 at the end of the second inning.

During the game, Smith went two for three with a double, Cameron went one for three with an RBI on a single, and Miller had a ground out RBI.

St. George’s increased their lead in the third inning and scored six runs. Aldrich said the Broncos struggled to claim outs and they continued to make fielding errors.

St. George’s claimed the win in four innings, 15-3.

For the second game Aldrich said the Broncos struggled to hit the ball and St. George’s claimed another early lead. At the end of the first inning the Dragons were ahead 7-0.

Due to absent players, Aldrich said freshmen Miller, Bell and Cameron pitched the game. He said the young athletes pitched well but showcased need for improvement due to lack of experience.

Aldrich said pitching helps players strengthen their arms and allows them to realize the importance of contributing to in-field plays on the mound.

The team continued to struggle to score runs as St. George’s remained strong on defense and prevented them from scoring.

Bell pitched in the third and proved to be a powerhouse as he did not walk a single batter, said Aldrich.

St. George’s prevented the Broncos from scoring a single run throughout the entire game and the Dragons claimed the win 12-0.

Despite the losses, Aldrich said he is pleased with how the young athletes competed. He said splitting the season with divisional and non-league games is an advantage for the team because it provides flexibility in their schedule and positioning on the field.

It also helps the team prepare to face elite teams in the post season, he added.

Aldrich said the team will focus on hitting, and basic fundamentals to reduce the number of strikeouts and fielding errors.