By Rick Assad
One run separated the Providence High baseball team after four innings but a two-run fifth from Milken in a Liberty League game at Schafer Field at Foy Park on an extremely hot Thursday afternoon was critical.
Those late runs were insurance as the Wildcats eventually earned a 4-1 decision as two pitchers held the Pioneers to four hits.
Mando Contreras is the Providence head coach and felt the game was within reach, but a few incidentals stood in the way.
“The difference was our timely hitting early in the game. We left five on base with less than two outs and couldn’t capitalize,” he explained. “We have good enough pitching to hold teams to a low number.”
Senior Kiran Kostecka went two-plus innings for the Pioneers and surrendered three hits, struck out three, walked one and hit two batters.
Junior Cade Mackenzie fanned two, walked one and gave up four hits over five innings for the Pioneers.
Providence (5-3 and 3-2 in league) gained the upper hand with a run in the bottom of the first inning.
Senior Asa Langlois, who led off and doubled down the left-field line in the third inning, walked and advanced to second base on a single to center field by Kostecka.
Senior Dylan Sarkisian’s bloop to right field saw Langlois race to third base and then score on an error.
In that frame, seven batters came to the plate but only one run scored.
Milken (3-6 and 1-0 in league)) evened it at 1-1 with a run in the second inning as freshman Drew Steinberg opened the frame with a single to left field.
Steinberg moved to second base on a passed ball, third base on a grounder and scored on a throwing miscue.
The Wildcats moved in front 2-1 with a run in the fourth inning as senior Jared Dunn, who also had an infield hit in the second inning, was safe on a two-out infield hit and then swiped second base.
Dunn moved to third base on an infield single by junior Jordan Brown and crossed home plate on an error.
Six batters came to the plate in the fifth inning for the Wildcats and two collected hits and they were senior Jonah Hershko, who singled to right center and Steinberg, who clubbed a two-run double to left field.
Sophomore Dane Silverman was intentionally walked to set up the biggest hit of the game.
“Today, I gambled and walked a lefty intentionally to set up a matchup that favored our pitcher,” Contreras said. “We left one up [in the strike zone] then he capitalized with a two-out double. Good for him.”
Senior Arlo Wicke reached base on a two-out infield single in the fourth inning for the Pioneers but was left stranded.
Sophomore Benjamin Bedil was given the assignment to start the game on the mound for the Wildcats and went four innings, struck out three, walked two and yielded four hits.
Junior Aidan Pereg toured two frames and whiffied five and walked two for Milken and sophomore Jackson Zwick fanned one across one inning.
In the end, Contreras believes his team will learn from this game and become much better in the future.
“I saw that our lineup struggled to put a couple of hits together. I saw our emotions get the better of us in the middle of the game,” he said. “We will keep working and see them again in a couple of weeks.”
The two teams will next meet on April 22 at Milken.
