Trailing 6-1, the Arlington baseball team created an opportunity to climb back into Thursday's home game against Class B No. 4 Bennington.
The Eagles (1-3 overall) loaded the bases with no outs during the sixth inning at the Washington County Fairgrounds, but couldn't produce a single run. Coach Tyler Stender's team lost 7-1 at the end of seven frames.
“Through two games, we've been in a few of those situations and we haven't capitalized,” he said. “We're, kind of, still tentative hitters right now. It's early and we're just not aggressive as we need to be.”
After the Badgers scored three runs apiece during the second and third innings, AHS finally scored a run in the fourth. Trevor Denker reached base first before Blaine Vogt's bloop single to right field.
Two more Eagle batters later, Denker scored on a passed ball. He led off the aforementioned sixth frame, too, notching a double.
Vogt and Andy Misfeldt joined the Arlington senior on the basepath in succession, setting up the bases-loaded situation. From there, though, Bennington earned a force out at home plate, a flyout and a groundout to get out of the inning still ahead by five runs, 6-1.
The Badgers added a run on an AHS error in the seventh before the Eagles' Jack Bang led off the bottom half of the frame with a single. Another fielder's choice and a double play ended the game, though.
In the end, Stender was content with his team's play on the mound against Bennington.
“We rotated four guys through today, and I thought they all threw alright,” he said.
Denker and Kaden Pittman struck out two batters apiece, while Vogt and Colton Willmott also pitched.
A double play to end the top of the seventh was another Arlington highlight despite defeat.
“Couple of double plays already this year,” Stender said. “It took us a while last year.”
Eagles pick up 1st win
Two days later, Saturday, Arlington played a pair of games against Omaha Roncalli and Elkhorn Mount Michael at the Knights' triangular. The Eagles went 1-1, besting the preseason Class C No. 2 Crimson Pride first, 7-2.
AHS took control of its first win of the season with a four-run third inning. With Bang and Braden Monke on base, Pittman plated the first run when he hit into a Roncalli error, according to the Pride's stat-keeping.
Denker then walked to load the bases, allowing Vogt to draw his own run-scoring free base. Dalton Newcomer added a sacrifice fly and Denker scored on a wild pitch as the Eagles built their 4-0 lead.
Against Mount Michael, though, Arlington fell behind 3-0 before scoring its first run. Coach Stender's team eventually lost, 7-3.
Eagles Tim Halley, Andy Misfeldt and Monke notched hits in defeat, while Killian McIntosh recorded an RBI. Denker struck out five Knights, but took the loss on the mound.
AHS BASEBALL LINE SCORES
Saturday
Elkhorn Mount Michael 7, Arlington 3
AHS (1-3) 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 — 3 3 1
EMM (2-1) 2 1 0 2 1 1 X — 7 10 1
Arlington 7, No. 2 Omaha Roncalli 2
AHS (1-2) 0 0 4 0 0 2 1 — 7 4 2
RON (1-2) 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 — 2 5 4
Thursday
No. 4 Bennington 7, Arlington 1
BEN (3-0) 0 3 3 0 0 0 1 — 7 9 2
AHS (0-2) 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 — 1 4 1
