GLADSTONE---Tyson Seymour had a home run and a bases-loaded double, and he pitched five innings to help the Gladstone Braves beat the Negaunee Miners, 14-6, Tuesday evening at Don Olsen Field in Gladstone. It was the Braves' home opener.
Seymour's home run came in the third inning with the Braves trailing, 5-2.
"It felt good, but off the bat, it didn't feel like it was a home run at all," Seymour said. "It just felt like it was a routine fly ball to the left fielder. But, it happened to go out."
When Seymour came to the plate again, in the fourth inning, the Braves were still behind, 5-4, and the bases were loaded. Negaunee pulled starting pitcher Shane Ring at that time, bringing Mark Anderson to the mound. While Anderson warmed up, Braves Manager Don Lauscher took a moment to talk with Seymour about the situation.
"He came up and he said, 'don't take a big hack at it'," Seymour said. "I was like: all right, just a base hit and try to score them. And that's what I did."
Seymour's base hit put the Braves in front, 6-5, as Jack Stephenson and Clay Cole scored.
And that started a huge inning for Gladstone as six runs scored, making it a 10-5 lead. Gladstone added four more runs in the fifth inning to basically put the game out of reach, and the Braves did it on several steals, including a delayed steal of home by Cole.
"It just comes with one more year of maturity this year," Lauscher said. "We run the bases pretty well now. they know what they're doing, and when I make a call, they know how to delay steal. They know to do a double steal, and to do a straight steal. So I was really, really pleased for this early in the season, with how well we're doing on the field."
It was also a big improvement for the Braves behind the plate. After having numerous stolen bases against them by Appleton North on Saturday, the Miners managed only one double steal and catcher A.J. Lundberg threw out a would-be base-stealer. Lundberg says they've been working on his technique in practice.
"Coach has been trying to make me so I don't turn, across my body, and I'm not seeing where I'm throwing," Lundberg said. "So he's trying to show me how I can come up, and I'm actually looking at second base the whole time. That keeps me a little more straight, and it makes me throw the ball more accurate. It's been helping a lot."
Seymour pitched five innings to earn the win. He allowed five runs (all in the first two innings) on seven hits. Cole threw the final two innings, allowing one run.
Besides Seymour's three hits, Lundberg added three hits and Ben Schwalbach had two hits. Elliot Danhoff had an RBI single and an RBI sacrafice fly.
Negaunee was led by Eric Wideman, who had three hits and three runs batted in. Grant Johnson also had three hits, while Kinten Rajala and Anderson had two hits each.
Gladstone's injuries to key players are mounting, however. Two-time All-Stater Hunter Garling is out for the season with an elbow injury that already required "Tommy John" surgery.
And now pitcher/second baseman Brandon Cooper is out for about three weeks because of tendonitis in his arm. He will begin physical therapy on it soon.
"We're working with these guys hard in practice," Lauscher said. "So now, with two guys down, boy, somebody's got to make the next step. And so far, so good."
The Braves (3-3) have another home game against the red-hot Norway Knights Thursday afternoon. Then Gladstone travels to Wausau to face Green Bay Preble on Friday, and D.C. Everest and Menasha West on Saturday. Then it's off to Escanaba on May 3rd.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos and videos, and listen to interviews. Thanks to Laura Lamberg and Nate Bellville for doing the work with the camera.
Seymour's home run came in the third inning with the Braves trailing, 5-2.
"It felt good, but off the bat, it didn't feel like it was a home run at all," Seymour said. "It just felt like it was a routine fly ball to the left fielder. But, it happened to go out."
"He came up and he said, 'don't take a big hack at it'," Seymour said. "I was like: all right, just a base hit and try to score them. And that's what I did."
Seymour's base hit put the Braves in front, 6-5, as Jack Stephenson and Clay Cole scored.
And that started a huge inning for Gladstone as six runs scored, making it a 10-5 lead. Gladstone added four more runs in the fifth inning to basically put the game out of reach, and the Braves did it on several steals, including a delayed steal of home by Cole.
"It just comes with one more year of maturity this year," Lauscher said. "We run the bases pretty well now. they know what they're doing, and when I make a call, they know how to delay steal. They know to do a double steal, and to do a straight steal. So I was really, really pleased for this early in the season, with how well we're doing on the field."
"Coach has been trying to make me so I don't turn, across my body, and I'm not seeing where I'm throwing," Lundberg said. "So he's trying to show me how I can come up, and I'm actually looking at second base the whole time. That keeps me a little more straight, and it makes me throw the ball more accurate. It's been helping a lot."
Seymour pitched five innings to earn the win. He allowed five runs (all in the first two innings) on seven hits. Cole threw the final two innings, allowing one run.
Besides Seymour's three hits, Lundberg added three hits and Ben Schwalbach had two hits. Elliot Danhoff had an RBI single and an RBI sacrafice fly.
Negaunee was led by Eric Wideman, who had three hits and three runs batted in. Grant Johnson also had three hits, while Kinten Rajala and Anderson had two hits each.
And now pitcher/second baseman Brandon Cooper is out for about three weeks because of tendonitis in his arm. He will begin physical therapy on it soon.
"We're working with these guys hard in practice," Lauscher said. "So now, with two guys down, boy, somebody's got to make the next step. And so far, so good."
The Braves (3-3) have another home game against the red-hot Norway Knights Thursday afternoon. Then Gladstone travels to Wausau to face Green Bay Preble on Friday, and D.C. Everest and Menasha West on Saturday. Then it's off to Escanaba on May 3rd.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos and videos, and listen to interviews. Thanks to Laura Lamberg and Nate Bellville for doing the work with the camera.
