COMSTOCK PARK – The Reeths-Puffer baseball team’s doubleheader sweep over Montague over Saturday couldn’t have come at a better time.
And it all couldn’t have come in a more fun environment.
The Rockets downed the Wildcats 4-3 in the first game, then completed the sweep with an 11-4 win in the second contest at LMCU Ballpark– the home of the West Michigan Whitecaps – in Comstock Park.
The sweep comes on the heels of a tough three-game series against Mona Shores last week, when the Rockets dropped all three games. It also comes with the Division 1 district tournament right around the corner.
Colton Bessinger delivers a pitch for the Rockets. Photo/Joe Lane
“It was important for us today to get out and play solid, whether we won or lost,” said R-P Coach Butch Attig. “So in the first game we were focused on a solid start and getting back after Thursday.
“The next game was about getting everyone in the game and enjoying the atmosphere here at the ballpark. The opportunity to play on this field was really nice, and I think we embraced it. So really it was great for us to get a sweep and come out playing good baseball after Thursday.”
The opportunity to play on the same field as the Whitecaps, who are minor league players in the Detroit Tigers’ system, was not lost on R-P senior David Wilhelm.
“It was crazy,” Willhelm said about playing on the big stage. “Last year got rained out so we didn’t get a chance to. But we got to this year, and it was really cool to showcase our game.”
Attig made sure a lot of people around the program got the chance to enjoy the special day, including former players who were invited to watch the games from the dugout.
Jaxson Whitaker drops a bunt for Reeths-Puffer. Photo/Joe Lane
“I brought the seniors back from last year,” the coach said. “They had raised the money and were supposed to be here last year, but it got rained out.”
Game 2 started with Montague grabbing a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning before Reeths-Puffer responded.
R-P scored two runs in the top of the second when Lukas Johnson and Caiden Theisen both crossed the plate on Montague errors, giving the Rockets a 2-1 advantage.
Montague responded in the home half of the inning by jumping back ahead 3-2.
Catcber Earnest - R-P's catcher - waits for a throw at the plate. Photo/Joe Lane
Reeths-Puffer finally took control by scoring five times in the top of the third to take a 7-3 lead.
Trent Reichert had an RBI single, Kyle Schlaff scored on a wild pitch, Johnson added an RBI single, Catcher Earnest hit an RBI groundout and Caiden Theisen added an RBI single.
Montague scored one run in the bottom half of the inning to make the score 7-4.
Schlaff had an RBI single in the fourth inning to extend the Rocket lead to 8-4.
Wilhelm, Schlaff and Jaxson Whitaker all scored on Montague errors in the sixth inning to extend the lead to 11-4.
R-P pitcher Colton Bessinger allowed three hits and four runs over 3 2/3 innings, striking out one. Holden Earnest, Jack Yonkman and Cade Paugh all put in work in relief.
Caiden Theisen slides into third base for the Rockets. Photo/Joe Lane
In Game 1, R-P pitchers Jaxson Whitaker, Holden Earnest, and Reichert combined to get the win.
Johnson led the offensive effort with two hits while Reichert added a hit and a scored a run.
Schlaff and Wilhelm each had RBIs for the Rockets in Game 1.
Reeths-Puffer, now 14-14 on the season, will host Holland in a single game scheduled for Monday.
