GB Southwest vs. Seymour Recap
By Spencer Flaten, lead writer
Green Bay, WI-
The Seymour baseball team started off its season like a booming clap of thunder (pun intended) on Thursday. The Thunder beat Green Bay Southwest 11-1 on a warm evening in Green Bay.
It was the first game of the season for both teams, but there was no question which team looked like it was in mid-season form.
The Thunder bashed 17 hits in the game, including several extra base hits. They took a four run lead into the fifth inning before blowing the game open with four more runs in the frame. Third baseman Trenton LaCombe collected three hits to lead the way, while Cole Clark (a Marian College commit) added an RBI double and a two-run home run of his own to help the cause.
Dustin Armstrong started the game on the mound for Southwest, but only pitched three innings, surrendering four runs (three earned) and five hits while striking out a couple.
The Seymour pitching staff took a no-hitter into the bottom of the seventh inning, but Jake Gussert led off the frame with a base hit to break it up. Reed Blake got the start, but Phil Grelecki took over in the fifth inning. Blake did not surrender a hit during his time on the mound, although he did surrender a few walks and hit a couple of batters. Grelecki was solid until the seventh, when the Southwest bats started to come to life. Still, they held on for a commanding 10 run win.
“It was great,” said Blake. “I had fun doing it. I have confidence in my team to make plays behind me…it’s [a great feeling]. We lost a lot of guys last year so it’s even better knowing that it’s all the juniors coming up this year playing together, and we did great.”
Defense played a huge role in the game. In the first inning, LaCombe made a diving stop down the third base line and threw the runner out at first. Late in the game, shortstop Seth Jefson corralled a ball behind the mound and made a spinning throw (which was picked out of the dirt by Blake) to preserve the no-hitter at that point in the game. Seymour also had a few double plays that killed potential Southwest rallies.
Ultimately, it was a dream start to the season for Seymour, especially after a year in which they finished in last place in the Bay Conference.
“It feels great,” Clark said. “It feels like we’re going to start the season off and really get a head of steam going into the middle of the year and make a playoff push and compete for a Bay Conference title.”
Southwest fell to 0-1 after the loss. Their next game is on Saturday against non-conference foe Neenah. Seymour, now 1-0, will play Shiocton next Monday in a bid to keep their momentum going.
