Any high school pitcher loves run support from his offensive buddies. Linn-Mar provided Nate Greve with a mountain of it Friday night, scoring six runs in the bottom of the first inning and giving Greve a chance to relax.

As it turned out, Greve’s idea of relaxing was to toss a two-hit shutout.

Greve made quick work of the Washington lineup and so did Linn-Mar, squashing the Warriors 13-0 in five innings in a Mississippi Valley Conference game at Linn-Mar.

Washington (3-13, 0-8) didn’t have much of a chance. Greve blanked the Warriors all night and struck out nine batters.

“He was fantastic,” said Linn-Mar Coach Chad Lechner. “His velocity was up tonight, and when he is throwing his fastball that well and locating it, he doesn’t really need to throw a lot of other stuff. He has been very good the past couple of outings.”

Greve started fast, retiring Washington’s first three batters in order in the top of the first. Then Linn-Mar came to the plate.

Greve, who also played the role of leadoff hitter, began the inning with a line-drive single to left field. The Lions wouldn’t stop until six runs had crossed the plate. Michael Redmond, Austin Stroschein and Keaton Blackford all had RBIs for Linn-Mar in the first and it opened a wide gap for Greve and the Lion defense.

“We just stayed focused and waited for our pitch,” said Redmond. “We have been taking good hacks all week and we just stayed with our approach, and everything turned out well.”

Greve worked quickly on the Warrior hitters, keeping them off balance. The first Washington hit came in the third inning when Johnny Dobbs lined a shot barely over shortstop Jack Strellner’s glove.

The only other hit Greve allowed was in the fourth inning when Will Rings hit a dribbler down the third base line, which basically was a swinging bunt.

“I was just mixing up pitches, and working both inside and outside with our catcher,” said Greve. “It was working out pretty well.”

Linn-Mar (9-6, 6-2) put one run on the board in the second when Stroschein collected another RBI single, pushing the Lions up 7-0.

Linn-Mar exploded again in the fourth. Catcher Austin Banks belted a two-run double to left field that highlighted a six-run frame. The Lions batted through their lineup again, and five players collected a hit in the fourth inning as the Lions went ahead 13-0.

Greve returned to the mound in the top of the fifth and retired the Warrior batters in order, enacting the mercy rule.

“I think he (Greve) relaxed a little bit once he saw that early run support,” said Redmond. “And seeing him pitch well really gets us more comfortable at the plate.”

Blackford went 2-for-2 with two doubles, Stroschein was 2-for-3 with three RBIs and Kevin Bogert was 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

“I thought we really kept the approach that we want to see,” said Lechner. “The hitters did a good job of being disciplined at the plate and staying within themselves and just hitting line drives.”

WASHINGTON (0)
Hogg, 2b, 3 0 0 0, G.Dostal, p, 2 0 0 0, N.Dostal. ss, 2 0 0 0, Gillis, 1b, 1 0 0 0, Burdt, rf, 2 0 0 0, Rings, c, 2 0 1 0, Troendle, cf, 2 0 0 0, Thulen, 3b, 1 0 0 0, Thorson, 3b, 1 0 0 0, Dobbs, dh, 2 0 1 0, Hand, rf, 0 0 0 0. Totals  18 0 2 0.

LINN-MAR (13)
Greve, p, 3 1 1 0, Ollinger, dh, 1 0 1 2, Bogert, rf, 3 2 2 0, Wyant, dh, 1 0 0 0, Redmond, cf, 2 2 1 1, Stickney, lf, 2 1 1 0, Stroschein, 3b, 3 2 2 3, Roth, 2b, 1 1 0 0, Kvach, 2b, 1 0 0 0, Stolley, 1b, 3 1 1 0, Banks, c, 3 2 1 2, Blackford, dh, 2 1 2 1, Strellner, ss, 0 0 0 0. Totals  25 13 12 9.

Washington   000 00 -   0  2
Linn-Mar        610 6x - 13 12

G. Dostal, Hand and Rings. Greve and Banks. W - Greve. L - Dostal. 2B - Banks, Blackford 2, Ollinger.  3B - Redmond. SB - Bogert 2, Bettman, Stickney.