Wolverines stifle Wayne

GREENFIELD – Nodaway Valley picked up a 12-2 mercy-rule win in six innings over Wayne Friday behind a strong offensive performance throughout the lineup.

In the top of the first, Wayne’s first two batters went down in order before a single, stolen base and base hit drove in a run. On the mound for the Wolverines, Mason Mather struck out the final batter after pounding the strike zone with fastballs early.

The Falcons’ lead lasted for three batters, and the Wolverines never looked back. A walk put Mason Menefee on first when Nodaway Valley head coach Dan Jameson called for a hit-and-run with Caelen Devault at the plate.

Devault took an inside pitch over the left-field fence for a two-run home run, putting the Wolverines up 2-1.

Jameson said Wayne’s starter Bret Whitehall “was pretty tough at times,” but getting through the lineup and seeing him more than once helped the offense throughout the game.

Whitehall finished the game with four innings pitched, seven runs – four earned – and eight strikeouts.

The one-run lead was all Mather needed. He continued to throw strikes and be efficient, falling behind in few at-bats. He threw all six innings on 91 pitches, striking out eight batters while allowing five hits, two earned runs and two walks.

“Mason did a nice job on the hill there,” Jameson said. “He got a little behind once in a while, but was able to work back into the counts and get some strikeouts along the way and make things happen.”

The offense continued the early success, pushing one run across in the third inning on a Mather RBI-single and fourth inning from a Boston Devault two-out, two-strike RBI-single, which gave the Wolverines a 4-1 lead.

Nodaway Valley’s offense stretched its lead again in the bottom of the fifth. With runners on the corners, Menefee drove in a run with a single to center. Devault followed that up with a two-RBI double, one-hopping the fence.

A passed ball and fielder’s choice continued the inning, ending with an 8-1 lead after three.

Wayne’s offense put up a fight in the top of the sixth inning, scratching one run across, but couldn’t piece together enough for a chance at a comeback.

In the bottom half of the inning, the Wolverines’ offense sealed the game, saving another arm.

Mather, Tyler Vandewater, Menefee and Michael Britten all scored to extend the lead to its final score, 12-2. The top five batters in the lineup finished their day 8-for-17, driving in five RBIs.

Devault led the group with a home run, double and three RBIs. Menefee drove in two runs on two hits and scored three runs. Mather and Britten each tallied two hits and two runs with Vandewater scoring two runs.

“We came along there and started piling up some runs there,” Jameson said. “We just did what we needed to do.”

After one week of play, Jameson said he feels good about the start of the season, but sees a few things the group needs to work on.

“Just the communication in the field, keeping on our toes, knowing what needs to be done with the ball is put in play,” Jameson said. “We had the lead on Martensdale late (Thursday), and they expanded their lead late. It gives (us) some confidence going ahead.”

UP NEXT – Nodaway Valley (3-2) travels to Corning to face Southwest Valley (0-4) with first pitch coming at 5:30 p.m today (Monday).

Nodaway Valley 12, Wayne 2

R  H  E

WY  100  001  X —  2 4  1

NV  201  144  X —  12  10  1

WY: Bret Whitehall 4IP 8Ks 3BB, Gunner Fogle 1IP 2Ks 0BB and Strait Jacobsen. NV: Mason Mather 6IP 8Ks 2BB and Tyler Vandewater. W - Mather. L - Whitehall. HR — Caelen Devault (1). 3B — None. 2B —WY: Zayden Mitchell (1), Gunner Fogle (1). NV: Caelen Devault (1). RBI — WY: Fogle (2). NV: Caelen Devault (3), Menefee (2), Mathew Weber (1), Boston Devault (1). Multiple hits — WY: Mitchell (3). NV: Mather (2), Menefee (2), Caelen Devault (2) and Michael Britten (2).