Diekman’s walk-off double lifts Hayfield over Triton
Published 9:39 pm Tuesday, May 4, 2010
HAYFIELD — Hayfield sophomore Broderick Diekman was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and the Vikings were down to there last out before extra innings would ensue against one of the top pitchers in the HVL.
Diekman delivered for the Vikings with an opposite field, walk-off double in the bottom of the seventh inning to give Hayfield’s baseball team a 6-5 victory over Triton and their ace, Logan Spitzack in Hayfield Tuesday.
“I wasn’t really confident. I just knew we needed one so I went out there and cleared my mind,” said Diekman. “He gave me an outside fast ball and I got a hold of it.”
Hayfield’s winning rally started when sophomore Dillon Wagner drew a two-out walk and Wagner scored from first on Diekman’s blast through the gap in right-center field.
Hayfield head coach Craig Selk was one of the first to congratulate Diekman after the blast and he was pleased that Diekman went to the opposite field.
“He’s a big, strong kid and he works on his swing constantly,” Selk said of Diekman. “That’s his spot, to right center and I preach to him constantly that he’s got to go to right center. When he’s on, he bangs it over there.”
Hayfield (3-11 overall) tied the game at five in the sixth when Tyler Krekling hit a two-out single, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error and Jared Ellis came through with an opposite field RBI single.
The Cobras (6-7 overall) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first when Spitzack singled in a run and another run scored on a throwing error.
Hayfield responded in the bottom of the first when the first two runners reached on errors and Tyler Nelson bombed a two-run triple to right-center field.
“It was 2-0 so I knew he was coming fast ball. I was looking for it,” Nelson said. “We needed that response. Scoring hasn’t been our strong point this year and we needed those two errors to get started.”
Nelson scored on a single by Wagner and Hayfield took a 4-2 lead in the second when Cole Kruger scored on an error.
Selk was pleased that his team kept it together early on.
“That was enormous,” he said. “We’ve kind of had the tendency that once things fall apart, we don’t come back. That was a huge moral victory to fall apart just a little bit and get back in it.”
Hayfield finished with eight hits off of Spitzack, who struck out 12 and the Vikings are hoping their two game winning streak can propel them to a strong finish before the playoffs begin.
“As long as we can put the ball in play against someone like Spitzack, it’s kind of a moral victory,” Selk said. “He’s the best best of the best. He’s the best in the HVL in my opinion. He throws hard, he throws two different curve balls and he’s got a slider.
Triton 2 0 0 0 3 0 0 — 5 9 5
Hayfield 3 1 0 0 0 1 1 — 6 8 2
Hayfield pitching: Tyler Krekling, 5 IP, 8 H, 1 BB, 5 R, 4 ER, 4 K, 2 HBP; Jared Ellis (W), 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 K
Hayfield hitting: Krekling, 2-for-4, 2 R, SB; Ellis, 1-for-3, RBI, R; Tyler Nelson, 1-for-3, 2 RBIs, R, BB; Evan Bungum, 1-for-4, SB; Dillon Wagner, 2-for-3, RBI, R, BB; Broderick Diekman, 1-for-4, double, RBI; Drew Streightiff, 0-for-3; Cole Kruger, 1-for-3, R; Drew Kenyon, 1-for-2, SB
Triton pitching: Logan Spitzack (L), 7 IP, 8 H, 2 BBs, 6 R, 3 ER, 12 K
Triton hitting: Logan Erdmann, 2-for-3; Ethan Kruger, 1-for-3, double, 2 RBIs; Spitzack, 2-for-4, RBI; Kyle Thaden, 2-for-4; Jason Jensen, 0-for-3, HBP; Brett Henslin, 0-for-2, BB; Justin Gartner, 0-for-2, BB; Jordon Johnson, 0-for-3; Justin Gartner, 0-for-2, HBP; Blake Roussel, 2-for-3