Joe Henderson Interview Coach Tom Interview
PORTSMOUTH— Shawnee State baseball could not overcome early deficits and dropped both games against Baldwin-Wallace in the final day of the non-conference weekend series. The Bears (6-8) lost Game 1, 7-6 and could not hold off the Yellow Jackets (3-0) in Game 2, losing 7-3.
Shawnee State got two quality starts from pitchers Cody Strayer and Nolan West. The two combined to toss 11.0 innings allowing six runs on 12 hits with 10 strikeouts. The Bears also got a big performance from Joe Henderson at the plate throughout the day in a losing effort.
After Baldwin-Wallace struck with a run in each of the first two innings in game 1 Henderson got Shawnee State's bats started. Henderson – who had five total hits on the day – doubled to left field to start the bottom of the second. Two batters later, Zach Reed – who went 2-for-4 with an RBI – singled to center field to score Henderson.
Brady Hightchew later hit a sacrifice fly ball to score Daniel Katayama who reached on an error by the pitcher. The Bears would go on to score two more times on a bases loaded walk and a wild pitch to lead 4-2.
Strayer – who tossed 6.0 innings allowing four runs on nine hits while striking out four – shut the Yellow Jackets down in the third. However, Baldwin-Wallace came right back and tied the game at 4-all with two runs on three hits in the fourth.
All knotted in the fifth inning, Henderson again kept the hot bat. With two-outs in the inning Henderson got a fastball on a 3-2 count and sent it over the right field wall for a solo-homerun. The hit gave Shawnee State a 5-4 lead through five innings.
However, leading 5-4 in the eighth inning, the Yellow Jackets stung the Bears with three runs on four hits to turn a 5-4 deficit into a 7-5 lead.
Henderson would not be denied. Already 2-for-3 on the game with a double and homerun, Henderson thought he drew a walk on a 3-1 count. Fortunately for the Bears the umpire called a strike on the check swing. Onthe next pitch Henderson hit the ball to the exact spot as he did in the fifth inning, over the right field wall. The homerun was his second on the day and third for the season and pulled the Bears within 7-6 before going 1-2-3 in the ninth inning.
Game 2 became a pitchers duel between Baldwin-Wallace's Corey Waite and Shawnee State's Nolan West. The two each tossed five complete innings allowing five total runs on seven hits and nine strikeouts. West – who tossed 5.0 innings allowing two runs on three hits and striking out six – shutout the Yellow Jackets in the first four innings while allowing only one hit.
The games first run came in the top of the fifth when Baldwin-Wallace's Zack Ferster crossed home plate on a passed ball after reaching base on a single and reaching third after back-to-back steals. John Taylor walked and later scored on a wild pitch. The Yellow Jackets scored two runs on only one hit in the inning and took a 2-0 lead.
However, the Bears clawed right back. Keim – who went 2-for-4 in the game – started the bottom of the fifth with a single. After Henderson and Katayama walked, Reed hit into a fielder's choice, scoring Keim. Tyler Bice then followed with a double to right field and Todd Queener later followed with a sacrifice fly. Shawnee State answered with three runs to take a 3-2 lead heading to the sixth inning.
The Yellow Jackets would score five more runs in the top of the sixth to seal a three-game sweep of the Bears. Henderson finished the day 5-for-7 with two homeruns. Keim went 2-for-4 in the second game with a run scored to chip in.
Shawnee State will be back in action tomorrow, Feb. 25 against Miami-Hamilton. The game was originally scheduled to play Tuesday. However, with impending weather the game will be played at 4:30 p.m. tomorrow night.
