Catcher Finlay Holston and pitcher Derek Alumbaugh react simultaneously to a bunt laid down by a Pateros batter in the Mountain Lions’ win.
The Liberty Bell High School baseball team was involved in two shutouts last week but was on the winning end of only one of them.
On Thursday (April 30), Liberty Bell outdistanced Pateros at home, 11-0, then fell to Brewster, 2-0, in another home game on Friday (May 1).
On Monday (May 4), the Mountain Lions dropped a tough 6-4 decision at home to Okanogan.
Liberty Bell bested Pateros behind Derek Alumbaugh’s four-hit, 11-strikeout pitching and an early outburst of runs.
“It was a nice outing and he [Alumbaugh] had to dig down to finish strong,” said coach Don Calvert of his pitcher’s performance.
The Mountain Lions took command in the second inning with six runners crossing the plate on RBI hits by Finlay Holston, Jacob McMillan, Cole Darwood, Chip Jones and Gavin Wengerd. Alumbaugh, Wengerd and Holston each had two hits in the game.
Liberty Bell wasn’t done, finishing off Pateros in the sixth inning with another spate of runs. Singles by Alumbaugh, Wengerd and Isaac Cordes drove in runs to give the Mountain Lions the win under the 10-run mercy rule.
“I was glad to see the guys rally in the sixth to finish the game strong and definitively,” Calvert said.
Friday’s game against Brewster on the Liberty Bell home diamond was a tense pitchers’ duel that was won by the visiting team’s hurler, Raul Olvera. It was a tough loss for Mountain Lions pitcher Chip Jones, who allowed only two unearned runs on two hits.
“It was going to come down to who blinked,” Calvert said.
What it eventually came down to was a couple of uncharacteristic Mountain Lion errors in the seventh inning that allowed Brewster to register its only runs.
Liberty Bell’s four hits came from Alumbaugh, Darwood, Jones and McMillan.
“We had runners in scoring position in three innings but couldn’t get the timely hit to push runs across,” Calvert said. “I thought we had the upper hand when Jacob led off the bottom of the sixth with a double but nothing came of that. Later in the inning Derek singled up the middle and it appeared that Chip scored, getting under the tag at home, but he was called out to end the threat.”
Despite the loss, Calvert said, “It was one of the best games I have been a part of as a coach. Chip was masterful and our defense was outstanding until the seventh.”
Alumbaugh, playing behind the plate, threw out three runners trying to steal and “pretty much shut down their running game,” Calvert said. Darwood and McMillan also made a couple of dazzling defensive plays, the coach said.
“Do I wish we had the win? Absolutely, and I think we had the chance and we are not satisfied at all, but it was fun to watch,” Calvert said. “The Mountain Lions stood toe to toe with one of the best 2-B teams in the state and matched them in a heck of a ball game that we should have won.”
Calvert said that Monday’s home field loss to Okanogan was “another close one that slipped through our fingers.”
Liberty Bell led 3-0 after three innings and 4-1 after six, but Okanogan rallied with four runs in the seventh inning with a succession of hits and stolen bases, Calvert said.
The Mountain Lions managed just five hits and left nine runners in scoring position, Calvert said. Alumbaugh had two hits and two RBIs, as did Jones. Darwood added a single.
“We were helped by our patience and 10 walks, two of which scored,” Calvert said. “The guys showed improved plate discipline … We made them throw 142 pitches and that is a lot in seven innings. We still have to learn to lay off the high stuff and we helped them out too much swinging up there.”
“Derek pitched a good game against a good-hitting team, striking out five and allowing three earned runs,” Calvert said. “They [Okanogan] are a fast team and we just couldn’t control their running game … Our defense had a couple hiccups but for the most part was solid as usual.”
Calvert commended his freshman catcher, Finlay Hoston. “He is developing into a fine receiver and blocker and as his arm strength gets just a little stronger he will be a force to reckon with.” Calvert said. “He reminds us a lot of his brother Milo at that age, and he finished as the MVP of the league.”
Liberty Bell had a chance for revenge on Tuesday (May 5) when it traveled to Okanogan. See next week’s paper for results of that game. The Mountain Lions will travel to Manson on Thursday (May 7), then return home for a double-header on Saturday (May 9) against Concrete, starting at 2 p.m.
