APRIL 13, 2018, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE B3
Celtics searching for fi rst league win
By DEREK WILEY
Of the Keizertimes
McNary left the bases load-
ed in the bottom of the sev-
enth inning Monday.
West Albany hit a walk-off
two-run home run Friday.
That was the difference as
the Bulldogs took two games
from the Celtics, winning 7-5
on April 6 and 4-2 on April 9.
“We’re having a diffi cult
time coming up with a big
hit in the big moments when
we have guys in scoring po-
sition,” McNary head coach
Larry Keeker said. “A lot of
times we’re in those positions
with two outs and we just
haven’t been able to produce
a two-out RBI. And then the
fl ip side of it is the opponents
seem to be getting some base
hits with two outs. That ends
up being the difference.”
Down 3-0 entering the
bottom of the fi fth Monday,
McNary drew three consecu-
tive walks to load the bases
with one out. Lance Becktel
grounded out to second, scor-
ing David Allen from third, to
get the Celtics on the board.
But Jacob Jackson then struck
out swinging with runners at
second and third, ending the
inning.
McNary drew two more
walks in the sixth and Ryan
Thompson scored on an er-
rant throw while stealing third
to get the Celtics within 3-2.
After West Albany added a
run in the top of the seventh,
McNary loaded the bases
with two outs in the bottom
of the inning but Thompson
grounded out on a bang-bang
play at fi rst, ending the game.
“When it happens game
after game after game, then
you tend to tighten up a little
bit and the confi dence level is
probably not where it needs
to be,” Keeker said. “We need
something to go right to re-
establish our confi dence in
those situations.”
The Celtics fi nished with
just three hits. Jackson and
Becktel were both 1-for-4.
Ty Covalt was 1-for-3 with a
walk.
Carl Rumbaugh got the
start on the mound, allow-
ing three hits, four walks and
one earned run over three and
two-thirds of an inning. Allen
pitched the rest of the game,
giving up one run on three
hits and a walk.
Freshman Ian Martin start-
ed at second base in place of
senior Collin Wentworth,
who was suspended for run-
ning over West Albany catcher
on Friday.
“He stepped in there and
the moment hasn’t been too
big for him,” Keeker said. “He
lets his instincts go to work.
KEIZERTIMES/Derek Wiley
McNary pitching coach Cole Ferguson meets with pitcher Carl Rumbaugh, catcher Ty Covalt and the rest of the infi eld during the
third inning of the Celtics 4-2 loss to West Albany on Monday, April 9.
He’s practiced well from day
one. He got our attention
from day one so we knew the
skill set was in place.”
On Friday, Covalt hit a
double to center fi eld, scor-
ing Thompson and Jackson, to
give McNary a 3-2 lead in the
top of the fi fth. Devon Bedoya
then added a RBI single to
score Martin.
But West Albany answered
with two runs in the bot-
tom of the inning to take a
5-4 lead. The Celtics tied the
game at 5-5 with a run in the
top of the seventh. However,
West Albany sophomore Por-
ter Phillips hit a walk-off two-
run home run to left fi eld.
Jackson was 1-for-2 with
a walk and two runs. Covalt
went 2-for-4 with three RBIs.
“If we can just keep plug-
ging away and keeping our
heads down and keep push-
ing forward, all these close
games that we’re having and
the emotions that go with it
should help us,” Keeker said.
“But at some point we’re go-
ing to have to fi nd a way to
get a victory, feel good about
it. The mental status of ev-
erybody we have is going to
be a little bit better because
of a victory or a big hit in a
big moment, something that
breaks the ice and we get go-
ing. But right now, we haven’t
been able to come up with the
big play on defense or the big
play on offense to make the
difference.”
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