Apr 04, 2008 - 04:05:02 CDT
When Century plays its rematch next month at Mandan, No. 7, Hunter Johnson will need no introduction.Johnson hurt the Braves on the mound and with the bat Thursday as Century defeated Mandan 3-1 in West Region baseball at Municipal Ballpark.
Mandan came back to take the nonregional nightcap 5-2.
Johnson, a 6-foot, 165-pound junior, went four innings to pick up the win and knocked in two runs.
The first two runs of the game in the bottom of the first inning were Johnson's doing. Following a walk to ZachWentz and Nate Schlosser's single, Johnson blasted a long double to left-center. All the trouble started with two out. Mandan lefty Reid Jungling, a sophomore, struck out Century's first two batters.
Unexpectedly, Johnson got three straight fastballs from the crafty Jungling before unloading.
"The first pitch was a fastball, and he came back with a fastball inside. (The third pitch) was pretty much the same pitch but a little bit more out over the plate," Johnson said. "... Ikind of anticipated I'd see more offspeed stuff from him."
Mandan came back with a run in the third on Brandon Austad's double, a ground out and Brandon Leingang's run-scoring infield hit.
It looked like the Braves would take the lead in the fourth. A hit, a hit batsman and an error loaded the bases with no one out. However, Johnson got Brennen Rossman on a pop-up to the left side and struck out Austad and Jared Muth to end the threat.
When Leingang doubled and Jared Quast walked on four pitches to open the fifth inning, Johnson gave way to senior right-hander Ryne Lund.
Jeff Werner tried to bunt the runners over, but instead forced Leingang at third. Steve Pletan then lined a shot toward right field that high-leaping BradyWolf gloved and turned into a double play, catching Werner off first.
Kent Schweigert, who shares CHScoaching duties with Mike Gustavsson, said Johnson was relieved primarily due to the pitch count.
"His count was up (76 pitches, 43 strikes)," Schweigert said. "We were hoping Lund could finish but he pitched in relief on Tuesday and he was a little tired."
Lund, who threw 24 pitches in 2 1-3 innings on Tuesday in a victory over Bismarck, delivered 29 pitches in two innings against Mandan before handing the ball to Tate Leapaldt for the seventh inning,
For the second outing in a row, Mandan wasted an outstanding pitching effort. Jungling pitched a route-going three-hitter. OnTuesday, Mandan didn't surrender an earned run in an 11-inning regional loss.
"I liked what I saw out there today," Mandan coach Dewitt Mack said. "We were better at the plate. ...We had the opportunities (in the first game). We just needed the timely hit."
Both teams play Tuesday. Mandan is at Beulah. Mack said Sam Salveson would probably pitch the regional game against Beulah-Hazen. Schweigert said he didn't know who would start against the Saints.
Century 3, Mandan 1
Mandan 001 000 0 - 1 8 3
Century 200 010 x - 3 3 2
Reid Jungling and Brennen Rossman; Hunter Johnson,Ryne Lund (5), Tate Leapaldt (7) and Taylor Isakson. W - Johnson, 1-0. L- Jungling, 0-1. Save - Leapaldt. HR- None.
Highlights: M - Brandon Leingang 2-for-4, double, 1 RBI; BrandonAustad 1-for-3, double, 1 R; Jungling 6 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO. C - Johnson 1-for-3, double, 2 RBIs; 4 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO; Lund 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO; Leapaldt 1 IP, 1 H, 0R, 0 BB, 0 SO.
Mandan 5, Century 3
Mandan 302 00 - 5 4 3
Century 200 00 - 2 3 0
Jay Flaa, JasonMellmer (3) and Steve Serr; Erik Peterson, Greg Hilzendeger (3) and Taylor Isakson.W- Mellmer, 1-0. L-Peterson, 0-1. HR- None.
Highlights: M -Jeff Werner 1-for-1, double, 1 R, 1 RBI; Serr 1-for-1, 2 RBIs; Mellmer 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 2 SO. C - Hunter Johnson 1-for-3, triple, 1 RBI; Hilzendeger 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 SO.
Records:Mandan 0-2 West Region, 1-2-1 overall; Century 2-0, 3-1.
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