ZEIGLER — The Zeigler-Royalton-Christopher (ZRC) Tornadoes are off to a sensational start in the first few weeks of their new season. They have already notched their 10th win of the year, topping the Trico Pioneers 3-0 in an exciting home victory. This victory improves their regular season record to 10-2 (2-0 BDC West).
ZRC held onto a narrow one run lead as they were up to bat in the bottom of the sixth. Then in a rarity in high school baseball, ZRC coach Paige Kirkpatrick called for a suicide squeeze from Clay Humerickhouse which brought in a key insurance run late in the game. Humerickhouse would later come sliding in to score a final insurance run on a wild pitch. The Tornadoes then kept Trico off the scoreboard in the top of the seventh to clinch the win.
After the game Kirkpatrick said of that play, "We don't have to be perfect all the time; we just have to be perfect at certain times, and that was a perfect example of a situation where we needed to get it done, and then we executed it perfectly. That might have been the difference in the game. It gave us a little breathing room, and helped us out a lot." Kirkpatrick added, "We're not bangers. We're not gonna play gorilla ball. We're just gonna small ball it, and execute, and get guys on base to win, and that's kind of what we did those last six innings."
The Tornadoes swung for eight hits while ZRC's pitcher Gabe Schimpf held the Pioneers to only three hits in an impressive shutout win in which he struck out eight Trico hitters. Offensively, Schimpf was a key asset as well, as he went 2-for-3 including a big double in the fifth inning. Justin Bauersachs was the losing pitcher for the Pioneers, although he kept his team in the game until the final inning and fanned six ZRC batters.
"Our pitching was outstanding," said Kirkpatrick. "To throw a three hit shut-out with all those strikeouts is really special. The defense was also outstanding. As for the hitting, we faced a pretty tough pitcher. He threw pretty hard, and I thought we barreled off some balls pretty good, so all the way around I can't complain. It was one of the better games we've played this year."
Offensively, Ricky Tochtrop had a good afternoon for the Tornadoes, going 2-for-3 with a run scored. Other ZRC players who put the bat on the ball included Humerickhouse, who was 1-for-2 with a sacrifice, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Kaeleb Pedigo and Luke Garver were both 1-for-3 in the game, while Steven Anderson was 1-for-2, and was also hit by a pitch to lead off the sixth inning. Trico's three hits came courtesy of knocks by Bauersachs, Jacob Lodge, and Hunter Lodge.
Next up for the streaking Tornadoes is an away game at noon Saturday against the Elverado Falcons.
