Drifters Dominate Marion in 6-1 Series-Opening Win

(Photo by Alyssa Garcia)

By Henry Light

SPRINGFIELD – The Drifters strung together a dominant all-around win in their series opener against Marion, with timely defense feeding the lineup momentum, and the pitching staff combining for eight strikeouts.

Springfield (18-25, 15-19) didn’t allow a hit through four frames, and after a perfect relay from the wall to home plate kept a Marion (17-26, 13-23) runner from scoring in the top of the fifth, the Drifters’ offense put up a game-winning three-run rally in the bottom of five that proved to be the difference. The defense turned double plays in the eighth and ninth innings to seal a cohesive 6-1 win.

“We talked about how there’s getting guys out, and then there’s letting guys get themselves out, and we allowed them to get themselves out tonight,” Drifters pitching coach Dean Stiles said. “When they’re successful, that feeds the offense, and we got some key hits and some key situations came together.”

Ethan Atchley gave the Drifters three scoreless innings to start the game while just one base runner reached on an error. The Berries never picked up Atchley’s sidearm slider or fastball, and he ended the day with his third and fourth strikeouts.

“He was electric, and he’s been building himself up throughout the year,” Stiles said. “We’ve got to kind of watch his pitch count and his innings, so he gave us what we needed today, and then we finished it up for him.”

The Berries found their first hit with two outs in the fifth inning on a single by Nolan Rowe. Rowe attempted to score from first on a double off the wall, but Drifters center fielder Aiden Gebhard, who pitched four scoreless innings against the Berries on July 19, crow hopped off the warning track and uncorked a throw to Cooper Mullens, who threw Rowe out at the plate.

“He’s the real package,” Stiles said. “He can really pitch, and he’s also really figured out that speed is a weapon, so he can put the ball on the turf and run,” Stiles said. 

Springfield quickly brought the momentum to the plate, with Nick Gimino singling in front of the left fielder and eventually opening the scoring by scoring a run on a sacrifice fly by Mullens (2-for-4, 2 RBI). Hunter Meyer then picked up his sixth RBI of the week on an opposite-field single, before a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch put the Drifters up 3-0.

Marion scored its first run in the top of the sixth inning, which the Drifters matched in the bottom half. Karsten Hansen led off with a 99 mph double to the right-center field wall, and Mullens drove him in with another hard-hit line drive.

The Drifters’ infield took over the defensive highlights in the later innings. Catcher Preston Armstrong caught a runner stealing second with a perfectly placed throw to end the seventh inning, third baseman Zach Story jumped to snare a line drive in the seventh, and Chase Nye and Mullens ended the inning with a double play.

“If we can get ground balls, that’s a huge deal for us because that minimizes the pitches, economizes their innings and lets us send a guy back out,” Stiles said.

After Atchley’s flawless start, Ezra James gave the Drifters a season-high 53 pitches across three innings of one-run ball, while striking out three Berries. Colin Gebler then stewarded the Drifters through the seventh and eighth, and Carlo Ramirez finished the eight-strikeout, one-run game.

The Drifters tacked on two more runs in the eighth inning on a double to the left-center field gap by Nolan Miller.

First pitch for game two against the Berries is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. The game can be streamed on the Drifters’ YouTube channel or for free on the WCL Live app.