Bellevue bunts lead to 5-2 win over Columbian

BELLEVUE — One key to successful baseball is putting the ball in play and putting pressure on an opponent. With one out in the bottom of the second inning, Cooper Winke whacked a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Caden Lindsey with the first run of Bellevue's 5-2 win over Columbian. Tatum Gore then scored on a passed ball. The Redmen scored three more times as they earned a Sandusky Bay Conference Lake Division win Thursday. "I thought it was a good game to get involved in," Redmen coach Andy Dennings said. "We had some adversity and a couple of tough innings, but we were able to do it." Bellevue (4-0, 2-0 SBC Lake) was out front 2-0 at the end of the bottom of the second inning. The Tornadoes (1-5, 0-2) came back to tie it at 2-2 in the top of the third inning. "They executed in the one inning that they needed to and we didn't execute in times that we needed to," TC coach Nick Weber said. "It's the game of baseball; it fell their way and I'm proud of our response from yesterday (8-2 loss to Perkins) to tonight. We have to get back to it and get working." Bellevue took the lead for good in the bottom of third when Drew Dennings led off with a single and eventually scored on a passed ball. Ike Brown took the mound for Bellevue in the fourth, relieving Winke, and shut down the Tornadoes. "I came in and wanted to throw strikes," Brown said. "I wanted to get ahead early in the count so I could work on my offspeed. I threw strikes and let them put it in play because I know I have a great defense behind me." Brown had eight strikeouts in four innings and gave up two hits. Bellevue extended its lead to 5-2 with two runs in the sixth. "We had a great response in the sixth," coach Dennings said. "Even getting an extra one or two was huge and it was good for our kids to have to work through some things." WIth one out for the Redmen, Winke bunted and reached on an error. Gore, who led off with a single, scored. "With the bunts, we managed, and I was planning on getting one there," Dennings said. "We were able to get a bonus." That paid off when Grant Musser hit a sacrifice bunt to second base and scored Sam Cooper, who reached on an error. "That's the key to high school baseball," Dennings said. "Can I put pressure on people and can you put the ball in play? You do that, and the games are going to go in a pretty positive manner for you." The Redmen host Clear Fork on Saturday before traveling to Ontario on Monday. Bellevue will travel to Perkins next Wednesday for a huge Lake showdown. "We have a new crew here and a lot of kids are back that have experience," Dennings said. "We have eight seniors and some juniors that have already played with us as freshmen and sophomores. This is a crew that is capable of playing good baseball." Columbian 002 000 0 — 2 2 2 Bellevue 021 002 x — 5 5 1 WP: Winke. LP: Little.