Johnsons help No. 1 Cougars trim Prairie
The Kennedy baseball team called on Johnson & Johnson to ease its pain Monday night.
Andrew Johnson delivered a key triple and Zach Johnson collected a gutsy win in relief as the top-ranked Cougars trimmed Prairie, 5-4, on Junior Cougars Night at Kennedy.
Andrew Johnson tied the game, 4-4, with a triple down the right-field line in the bottom of the sixth inning and scored the go-ahead run on a passed ball.
Zach Johnson (not the golfer) wriggled out of a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the top of the seventh inning to give Kennedy (9-1, 4-1) the Mississippi Valley Conference victory.
The Prairie Hawks had runners on second and third in the top of the seventh with one out when Kennedy Coach Bret Hoyer gave Bryce Alberts an intentional walk to load the bases. It was a risky maneuver, because it gave Johnson no room for error on the mound. Another walk would have forced in the tying run.
"That kind of got me thinking a little bit," Johnson admitted. "But he (Hoyer) knows what he's doing out there. I figured he wouldn't put me in a bad position. I just knew I had to throw strikes."
Johnson went to a 3-2 count against Tyler Votroubek with the sacks loaded and one out. Votroubek fouled a fastball straight back, and Kennedy assistant coach Jake Waddle told catcher Chico Lizarraga to call for a curveball on the next pitch.
Johnson bent the ball over the outside corner and got Votroubek looking for the second out.
"A 3-2 curveball and he spots it on the outside corner with the tying run on third base," Prairie Coach Matt Thede said wistfully. "That's a tough pitch. I don't care what level you're at. I mean, that is a tough pitch anywhere. You tip your hat to him."
Johnson then got Dylan Pond to hit a ground ball to shortstop Derek Jacobus, who fielded it cleanly and stepped on second base to end the game.
Johnson relieved Nick Appleget in the top of the sixth with nobody out and a runner at first base with Kennedy trailing, 4-3. The Hawks put runners at second and third with two outs, threatening to increase their lead, but Johnson fanned Ty Mougin to end the inning.
Johnson, a senior, said he enjoys pitching in relief with the game on the line. "I like it," he said. "It puts all that pressure on me, but it's fun."
Zach Johnson now has a victory and a save this season.
Andrew Johnson began Monday's game with only three hits in 15 at-bats for a .200 batting average, but he went 3-for-3 with two singles and the key triple to raise his mark to .333.
Johnson came to the plate in the bottom of the sixth with Derek Jacobus on second base with one out and Kennedy needing a run to tie the game. He stepped into the batter's box against Alberts, who pitched the whole game for Prairie (7-5, 3-2).
"He was pitching me first-pitch outside every time," said Johnson. "I saw a fastball and smoked it. I've never had a bigger hit than that in my career."
Johnson scored on a passed ball for a 5-4 lead, then the other Johnson (they're not related) took care of matters in the top of the seventh on the mound.
Kennedy took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Prairie made three errors, but the Hawks tied the game 3-3 in the third on a three-run homer by Brayton Carlson. Tyler Butz gave the Hawks a 4-3 lead in the fifth with an RBI single.
The same two teams meet Tuesday at Prairie at 7 p.m.
PRAIRIE (4)
Velvick, cf, 2 2 0 0, Mougin, ss, 3 0 0 0, Hammer, rf, 2 1 1 0, Carlson, 2b, 2 1 1 3, Butz, 3b, 3 0 1 1, Alberts, p, 3 0 0 0, Votroubek, 1b, 4 0 2 0, Davison, pr/cr, 0 0 0 0, Pond, c, 4 0 1 0, Peters, lf, 2 0 0 0, Swanson, ph, 1 0 0 0. Totals 26 4 6 4.
KENNEDY (5)
Jahlas, cf, 4 1 1 0, Ambrosy, rf, 2 1 0 0, Bell, 1b, 3 1 1 1, Lloyd, pr, 0 0 0 0, Dv Jacobus, 2b, 2 0 0 0, Skow, dh, 2 0 0 0, Appleget, p, 0 0 0 0, Z.Johnson, p, 0 0 0 0, Dr Jacobus, ss, 2 1 0 0, Hayden, 3b, 2 0 1 0, A.Johnson, lf, 3 1 3 1, Lizarraga, c, 3 0 0 0. Totals 23 5 6 2.
Prairie 003 010 0 - 4 6 4
Kennedy 300 002 x - 5 6 2
Alberts and Pond. Appleget, Z.Johnson (6) and Lizarraga. W - Z.Johnson. L - Alberts. 2B - Hayden. 3B - A.Johnson. HR - Carlson. SB - Velvick (3), A.Johnson (2).
