Long Ball Topples Buffalos

By David Wolman, davidwolman@miconews.com

Prairie View pitcher Garrett Claar slides on a fielding attempt and sets to throw to first base. (Photo by David Wolman)

OTTAWA — With the blustery winds that had already arrived before the game started, Prairie View coach Larry Pope knew it was critical for his pitching staff to keep the ball down.

Anderson County made the Buffalos pay for getting the ball up.

With one swing of the bat by Logan Fritz on an early two-run home run that was helped out of the park by the prevailing winds, Prairie View’s impressive season slowly started to swirl away.

Ethan Pracht added a solo home run to lead off the fourth, chasing starter Colton May from the game. That proved to be more than enough support for Anderson County starter Mike Hermreck, who allowed only one run and five hits in 6 1/3 innings, as the Bulldogs, the No. 7 seed in the Ottawa regional, knocked off No. 2 seed Prairie View 7-2 in a Class 4A regional tournament quarterfinal Monday afternoon at Orlis Cox Sports Complex.

The winds really played havoc, especially early on.

Ethan Lickteig launched a deep RBI double in the first off the center field fence for a quick 1-0 Anderson County lead.

Fritz followed with his two-run round tripper for a 3-0 lead after one.

“We weren’t in the game today,” Prairie View senior Jeremy Kees said. “They just hit a couple of home runs and that got us down, and we weren’t able to get back in it.”

Then came the dagger in the fourth.

After Pracht led off the inning with his solo shot, it appeared the Buffalos would escape the inning without any further damage. But an error on a wide throw to first extended the inning. Anderson County made Prairie View pay, and again it was Fritz. He hit a two-run single into center field for a 6-0 lead after four.

Fritz went 3-for-3 with 4 RBIs.

While Anderson County’s offense made key hits at critical junctures of the game, Hermeck held Prairie View’s offense at bay.

Josh Moore drew a walk in the fourth to load the bases for the Buffalos. However, the hard-throwing Hermeck retired the next two batters he faced to end the inning.

“He controlled the game,” Pope said. “Confidence is a lot in baseball, and obviously, he was confident.”

Prairie View’s only two runs came in the seventh on bases-loaded walks by Haupt and Jeremy Kees.

Even though Buffalos’ season came to an end a little too early for their liking, they put together one of their best overall seasons in recent memory.

After a roller-coaster start to the season, the Buffalos won eight of their last 10 games to finish 12-7. The run featured an eight-game winning streak, including a 5-3 win over West Franklin in a game played at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan.

“We learned a lot through the season, and that’s what the regular season is for,” senior Josh Moore said. “We all had a lot of fun.”