MUSKEGON — Reeths-Puffer broke out for three runs in the sixth inning Tuesday afternoon, picking up a 5-2 victory over Oakridge.
The Rockets' rally began with a hit batter and a walk, and then Brayden Mitchelson laid down what was intended to be a sacrifice bunt but turned into a bunt single, loading the bases with nobody out. Holden Earnest then got a go-ahead single, followed by a Brendan Guikema sacrifice fly and an unearned run on an Oakridge error.
R-P previously escaped trouble in the top of the sixth when the Eagles attempted a squeeze play with the go-ahead run on third and one out and the result was a popped up bunt that catcher Quinn Alderink turned into a double play.
"I know Coach (Brandon) Barry very well," R-P coach Butch Attig said of his Eagles counterpart. "I knew he wanted to grab the lead, so I knew there's a possibility of a squeeze. When talking to him, I said to make sure if you see him square (to bunt), we want that (pitch) high and outside a little bit. He did, and (the batter) still got a bat on it, and Quinn knew what was coming so he made a terrific play."
The play served as defensive redemption after a couple of uncharacteristic defensive miscues earlier in the game, miscues Attig said were born of not approaching the ball aggressively enough.
"Jack (Yonkman) is in charge," Attig said of one miscue, which occurred when the shortstop Earnest tried to chase down a fly ball Attig felt the center fielder Yonkman ought to have taken. "The center fielder's got to take that. It's so hard for the shortstop to go back, and he knows that. We'll learn from that. He understands he's got to come get that and just make the play."
Nevertheless, with eight seniors and solid depth, Attig is optimistic the Rockets will be in a position to compete at a high level later in the season.
"Offensively, I think where our strengths are is being aggressive on the bases when we have the chance," Attig said. "Defensively, shoring that up a little bit. I think we can rely on multiple arms this year instead of one or two. I think that's where our strengths are. The goal is always as we get progressing into May, the bats get going."
