The Gehlen Catholic baseball team opened postseason play on Saturday night in Granville with an 18-1 win over Siouxland Christian/Whiting United.
Gehlen’s opponents were 0-11 coming into the game with some very lopsided losses on their schedule. The Jays knew they could easily have put up some gaudy run totals, but they chose the path of humility and sportsmanship. Head coach Loi Kraft says being an opponent that shows sportsmanship is way more important that any run on the scoreboard. In a game like this, he also says that focus is a tough thing to keep locked in on throughout the game.
On the field, the Jays had to adjust to some pitching they were not used to. Their opponents had a much slower delivery than they were used to, and Coach Kraft said it took a little extra pregame work to get the guys prepared.
On the mound, Alex Peters, Gabe Wiltgen, and Brayden Horkey all saw at least one inning. The Jays walked just one batter and struck out the first nine hitters they faced in the order. Coach Kraft says the guys have been put on alert for limiting free passes, and he was happy to see they did that in the win.
The Jays will now turn their attention to the district semifinals with a matchup against Trinity Christian at Vosburg Field in Granville. Coach Kraft says the Tigers are good at making contact, so his guys have to continue to limit free passes.
First pitch will be at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, July 9. KLEM Radio will bring you the game with coverage beginning at 6:45.
