BUCYRUS — On a day when the cold and wind were the predominant factors, the team that made the fewest mistakes won the game.
That team was Bucyrus.
The Redmen (1-1) committed just three errors and played solid baseball for most of the day in holding off the Crestline Bulldogs, 11-10, at Veterans’ Memorial Field in Bucyrus.
The Bulldogs (0-2) committed seven errors in the game and had a chance to tie the game in the seventh inning, but a runner was thrown out at second base to end the game.
Bucyrus coach Sean Maudsley was unavailable for comment after the game, but assistant coach Josh Coleman said that his team showed great improvement after an 11-0 season-opening loss to South Central.
“We were lucky enough to put up 11 runs, we got things going early,” Coleman said. “We threw strikes and (Crestline) competed there at the end, give them credit. We made a good play there at the end.
“We hit the ball better tonight. We got some good, solid hits, put guys in motion and made plays. You have to fight through the elements.”
Errors hurt the Bulldogs early in the game, as Bucyrus scored four runs on one hit in the first and added five runs on one hit in the third. Crestline starter Kaden Ronk gave up 11 runs but only five were earned.
“The same thing happened to us last night (in a loss to Mansfield Senior),” Crestline coach Rod Norwood said. “We made too many errors and when you make errors you lose games.
Ronk struck out 10 but permitted just four hits.
“(Ronk) did well after the first inning, and he always does that,” Norwood added. “From the time I coached him in little league, the first inning is always shaky. No matter how many bullpen reps he gets before the game, he is always shaky that first inning, then he settled down and pitched well. We also made a couple of errors behind him. He showed a lot of courage. He threw 120 pitches first time out. But right now, we’re thin so we have to wear our starters.”
The Redmen took a 4-0 lead as Nick Middleton and Lincoln Mollenkopf each added singles, along with a Crestline error.
Crestline cut the deficit to 4-1 in the second as Calvin Reed singled and scored on an Ethan Clark sacrifice fly.
Crestline took a 5-4 lead in the third on three walks, a hit batter, a Bucyrus error and a two-run Ethan Clark single.
But the Redmen regained the lead in the bottom of the frame, using two Crestline errors, a walk and a hit batter, along with a Lucas Kozinski double to take a 9-5 lead.
Bucyrus scored twice to make it 11-5 in the fifth on two more Crestline errors.
The Bulldogs quickly scored three in the seventh on singles from Elijah Evans, Jaxson France, Reed and Kaden Ronk. Ethan Clark walked and, with two outs, freshman Blake Guiler singled, scoring Ronk and Clark. But Guiler was thrown out at second to end the game.
“We still have a lot of young guys so we’re still trying to come together as a team,” Norwood said. “We only have 11 kids so we’re trying to make sure our young kids are developing.
“We start two freshmen who are still trying to learn varsity baseball, how to hit, how to throw, where the plays are at. So, it’s a learning process for us. It really is.”
Norwood added that he was pleased with the fact that his team came back.
“That’s what I’m excited about, it’s what I told the kids,” Norwood said. “They could have given up very easily, but we fought until the end. You must fight every inning like that, and you become a good ball team. We have it in us, we just have to start a little earlier.”
Kozinski started and worked six innings for the Redmen, permitting just two hits. Kael Scott and Middleton finished the game off. Scott added a double for the Redmen.
Box score
Crestline 014 000 5 10 7 7
Bucyrus 405 020 X 11 5 3
WP: Lucas Kozinski (9 SO, 3 W)
LP: Kaden Ronk (10 SO, 2 W)
HR: None.
Triples: None.
Doubles: (B) Kael Scott, Lucas Kozinski.
Multiple hits: (C) Calvin Reed; (B) Kael Scott, Lucas Kozinski.
Records: Crestline 0-2; Bucyrus 1-1.
Next: Crestline at Plymouth, Wednesday; Ridgedale at Bucyrus, Wednesday.