Waterloo pitcher stymies Crusaders
Augustine limits Althoff to one hit through 6 innings
BY ROD KLOECKNER
News-Democrat
BELLEVILLE - Mike Augustine let his defense do the dirty work Wednesday and reaped the rewards.
The senior pitcher for the Waterloo Bulldogs recorded 14 of the 21 outs in his complete-game four-hitter on ground balls, steering Waterloo to a 5-1 victory over Althoff at Whitey Herzog Field.
"He did a nice job," said Althoff coach Brett Isaacs. "If high-school pitchers throw strikes and let their defense play, you can be successful. You don't have to have electric stuff or anything like that.
"He kept the ball down and let us hit ground balls, and they made the plays when they had to."
The Bulldogs' gloves got a workout behind the 6-foot-6 Augustine, who limited Althoff (1-2) to one infield hit through six innings.
The rangy right-hander -- who averaged a team-high 18.6 points a game for Waterloo's basketball team in the winter -- had one walk and recorded his one and only strikeout in the seventh.
He did it by throwing one breaking ball the entire game.
"The balls they did hit hard, they hit right at people, but I think you have to give Mike a lot of credit," said Waterloo coach Mark Vogel. "He is a great competitor. He's known for his basketball and rightfully so, but the kid just knows how to compete.
"Today, he had good location and was very aggressive. He kept our infielders on their toes. Our defense was strong today and Mike deserves a lot of credit for that."
Fortified by five experienced seniors, Waterloo's defense turned two double plays and had just two errors behind Augustine, who was making his season debut.
"My defense played really well," Augustine said. "In fact, there were a couple of line drives that my defense saved me. That's what I am is a ground ball and pop-fly pitcher.
"My defense has to be ready and they were today."
Blanked on one hit through three innings by Althoff starter Jake Miller, Waterloo (2-1) took advantage of a wild spell to seize the lead in the fourth.
Two walks and an infield hit loaded the bases with nobody out. Miller looked like he might escape the jam when he got Mark Degener to hit into a 1-2-3 double play.
However, after a walk reloaded the bases, Dylan McNew knocked a three-run triple off the fence in center to put the Bulldogs up 3-0.
"We're seniors now and you look to your seniors to lead," Vogel said of McNew, who nearly matched last year's RBI total (four) with one swing. "Dylan is one of those guys we're going to count on to be productive offensively for us."
Miller -- who was 6-0 as a junior with 19 walks in 38 innings -- was lifted for Scott Johnston after two more walks. He had five in the frame.
"He's better than that and hopefully, he'll be better the next time out," Isaacs said.
Waterloo added two runs in the fifth. Greg Floarke hit a solo homer and Andrew Fannon doubled, stole third and scored on an error.
Althoff scored its only run in the seventh when Brett Huber singled and eventually scored on a hit by Kyle Mertens.
Augustine chided himself about blowing the shutout.
"I just kind of gave it away there at the end," Augustine said. "I got kind of lazy and just started being nonchalant.
"Once I got two outs, I knew I needed to pick it up and take care of business."
Contact reporter Rod Kloeckner at rkloeckner@bnd.com or 239-2663.
http://www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/16991619.htm
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