Pitchers' duel ends in Pioneer loss - Leavenworth Times

For the better part of two hours Tuesday, the Leavenworth baseball team played neck-and-neck with one of the premier teams in the state.

Pioneer starting pitcher Billy Harrah threw a gem of a game, allowing three runs in seven innings while holding a highly-potent Lawrence lineup scoreless over the final four frames. Yet despite the hurler’s performance, Leavenworth still trailed 3-2 heading into the seventh and final inning.

Quickly there came hope though. James Gladiuex laced a one-out double into the centerfield gap and ended up at second base with the meat of the Pioneer lineup to follow.

However, even with the tying run two bags away and its best hitters at the plate, Leavenworth could not produce the go-ahead hit and the boys in blue suffered a 3-2 heartbreaking loss.

“I’ll tell you, it’s tough to play your best game of the year and lose,” LV coach Joe Allison said. “When you play a 162 games, a game like that won’t hurt as bad, but when you play 20 something it’s tough to swallow. At the same time, I was more impressed how we got down early and battled back.”

The game did not begin in the fashion it would end. Lawrence scored the opening two runs in the top of the first, but Leavenworth answered in the bottom of the frame with a score of its one.

Eli Keppler registered the run after walking and moving to second on a fielder’s choice. Michael Baillergeon then struck an infield single and the corresponding throw to first rolled away from the covering pitcher, allowing Keppler to easily cross home plate.

Following a scoreless second for Lawrence, the Pioneers tied the game when Sam Miller doubled and Gladiuex slammed a RBI single to centerfield moments later to force him home. The Lions retaliated with a run in the top of the third to retake a 3-2 lead, but from there the game entered the pitching duel it ultimately would be defined by.

Each team’s starter tossed four straight scoreless innings, Harrah’s final pitch inducing a bases-loaded, two-out pop fly to end the top of the seventh. The out got the Pioneer pitcher out of a jam and kept the score 3-2 heading into the final frame.

“I’ll tell you what, Billy did great,” Allison said. “We needed to see that out of Billy and it’s very reassuring. He let their three, four hitters get to him early but from there he shut them all down.”

For the better part of two hours Tuesday, the Leavenworth baseball team played neck-and-neck with one of the premier teams in the state.

Pioneer starting pitcher Billy Harrah threw a gem of a game, allowing three runs in seven innings while holding a highly-potent Lawrence lineup scoreless over the final four frames. Yet despite the hurler’s performance, Leavenworth still trailed 3-2 heading into the seventh and final inning.

Quickly there came hope though. James Gladiuex laced a one-out double into the centerfield gap and ended up at second base with the meat of the Pioneer lineup to follow.

However, even with the tying run two bags away and its best hitters at the plate, Leavenworth could not produce the go-ahead hit and the boys in blue suffered a 3-2 heartbreaking loss.

“I’ll tell you, it’s tough to play your best game of the year and lose,” LV coach Joe Allison said. “When you play a 162 games, a game like that won’t hurt as bad, but when you play 20 something it’s tough to swallow. At the same time, I was more impressed how we got down early and battled back.”

The game did not begin in the fashion it would end. Lawrence scored the opening two runs in the top of the first, but Leavenworth answered in the bottom of the frame with a score of its one.

Eli Keppler registered the run after walking and moving to second on a fielder’s choice. Michael Baillergeon then struck an infield single and the corresponding throw to first rolled away from the covering pitcher, allowing Keppler to easily cross home plate.

Following a scoreless second for Lawrence, the Pioneers tied the game when Sam Miller doubled and Gladiuex slammed a RBI single to centerfield moments later to force him home. The Lions retaliated with a run in the top of the third to retake a 3-2 lead, but from there the game entered the pitching duel it ultimately would be defined by.

Each team’s starter tossed four straight scoreless innings, Harrah’s final pitch inducing a bases-loaded, two-out pop fly to end the top of the seventh. The out got the Pioneer pitcher out of a jam and kept the score 3-2 heading into the final frame.

“I’ll tell you what, Billy did great,” Allison said. “We needed to see that out of Billy and it’s very reassuring. He let their three, four hitters get to him early but from there he shut them all down.”

After a lead-off groundout, Gladiuex smacked the one-out double into the hole between center and right field. But then Keppler struck out and Judson Cole popped out on the infield to close out the one-run loss.

“The middle of our lineup didn’t come through today and they are going to have to, that’s the reality of baseball,” Allison said. “They will be the first to tell you that and I can guarantee that in the future, if they get back in that position, they will come through on top. They want that responsibility.”

Keppler finished the game with a walk, a single and one run scored while Gladiuex had a double, a single and a RBI. Sam Miller chipped in a double while Baillergeon contributed a RBI single and a walk.

“We stayed in the game against a really tough opponent,” the LV coach said. “If anything, I’m extremely motivated going into the next three weeks because of how we played. It hurts to lose, but it sure was a fun game.”

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