Tigers fall to Big Reds in rain-shortened affair

Marietta starting pitcher Cooper Laumann delivers a pitch during the TIgers 6-1 loss to Parkersburg, Thursday at Bennett Stump Field. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

PARKERSBURG – No longer is Parkersburg wearing the tag as just baseball players. They are now bringing a sense of confidence to the ballpark on a continuous basis.

On senior night Thursday at Bennett Stump Field, the Big Reds won for the 11th time in 14 games after defeating Marietta 6-1 in a game shortened to 4 ½ innings due to monsoon-type weather arriving in the Mid-Ohio Valley later in the evening.

Jesse Showalter made the most of his first start of the season – pitching a complete five innings and allowing just one run on one hit. Normally the team’s closer, he struck out six and walked none.

“My changeup was working really well – I was dialing real good,” Showalter said. “Marietta just couldn’t hit it.”

With the regular season winding down and both coaches well aware of the impending storm, there was no wiggle room to reschedule. Both Showalter and his mound counterpart – Marietta southpaw Cooper Laumann – didn’t waste much time going through the respective lineups.

Parkersburg’s Jesse Showalter, middle, receives a hug from his coach Alan Burns as one of six Big Reds recognized on senior night prior to the start of Thursday’s game with Marietta at Bennett Stump Field. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

“Yeah, I knew about the storm and getting through it as quick as possible,” Showalter said. “It’s kind of how I do it when I’m pitching. I just go out there trying to win and trying to get it done as fast as I can.”

The game lasted a mere one hour and 15 minutes prior to a 20-minute rain delay. With no end in sight for the wet weather, both PHS coach Alan Burns and Marietta coach Kail Hill mutually agreed to call the game.

“We talked earlier in the day, along with the athletic directors and we were trying to figure out when we could reschedule,” Burns said. “They had prom on Saturday and we even talked about playing at 9 or 10 in the morning that day. We were like, that won’t go over real well. Nothing lined up, so we knew we had to get this one in.

“We knew the storm was coming and told Jesse we need to have a quick top of the fifth inning. And he did a good job.”

The top of the order in the PHS batting lineup did its share of the damage – starting with Cooper Cancade’s RBI single which drove in Parker Woods to put the Big Reds in front 1-0 after one inning.

Marietta baseball coach Kail Hill, right, talks to his catcher Bryson Chidester (10) and pitcher Cooper Laumann during a mound visit during Thursday’s game against Parkersburg at Bennett Stump Field. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

In the third inning, Woods led off with a double, Cancade walked and Chaz Elam kept the line moving with an RBI single. The lower half of the order carried its weight that same inning with a Jaxon Myers RBI double and Peyton Davis’ infield grounder which was booted by the shortstop and cost Marietta two more runs.

PHS sent 10 players to the plate in the five-run outburst.

Laumann took the loss after going the distance. He allowed six runs on seven hits and struck out five while walking just one.

Showalter did not allow a hit until Will Tornes singled past a diving first baseman with a runner on first base and nobody out in the top of the fourth inning. The only other Tigers to reach base safely was Drew Warden, who was hit by a pitch in each of his two at bats.

Showalter retired the final six batters he faced.

Parkersburg’s Peyton Davis (24) beats the throw to Marietta’s Drew Warden during a steal attempt Thursday at Bennett Stump Field. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

“Marietta has a good team and they will hit, and we felt Jesse gave us the best chance to win,” Burns said. “Our turnaround this season began when we made a couple of changes. We have cut down on our errors a lot. Early on, we were trying different lineups and we came to the realization that Jesse is a big part of what we do.

“He is one of our best catchers, one of our best shortstops, one of our best third basemen and can be one of our best outfielders. We asked ourselves, where do we need him most? Shortstop. That’s where he plays the most.”

An 0-8 start to the season is deep in the past. The vibe in the dugout has changed drastically for the better.

“We are having a lot more fun than we were in the beginning,” said Showalter, one of six Big Reds recognized during senior night on Thursday. Also honored were Logan Fling, Josh Knicely, Cooper Cancade, Peyton Davis and Caleb Lindenmuth.

“I told each of the seniors they mean a lot to us,” Burns said. “We consider our players as family. So we have a big family.”

Contact Kerry Patrick at [email protected]