Misch pitches well in Summit baseball’s season-opening loss to Holy Family
Game at Frisco Peninsula first Tigers home opener in memory
The Summit High School varsity baseball team lost to Holy Family 10-0 Saturday, May 8, in the team’s first home game in five years.
“We were excited to just have our Summit County first-ever home opener for baseball,” Tigers head coach Patrick Stehler said.
Though the Tigers struggled mightily at the plate at the Frisco Peninsula Recreation Area diamond, Summit was in the game through four innings thanks to strong pitching from senior Zach Misch. Against a Holy Family side that is projected as the No. 3 4A team in the state, Misch gave up three runs and five hits in three innings pitched, with just one walk to three strikeouts.
Stehler said he started Misch because he wanted the senior to set the tone for the season with the ball in his hands.
“His control was on point,” Stehler said. “He did a good job of mixing up speeds with his fastball, change-up and curveball and he kept their hitters off balance and only gave up three runs. But in the end Holy Family’s pitching was outstanding. Hats off to their pitchers.”
Misch was succeeded on the mound by sophomore Brecken Perlow, who had one strikeout and no hits against him in two-thirds innings. Summit junior Charlie Pidego relented eight hits and seven runs, four earned, in 2 1/3 innings on the mound, striking out two Holy Family batters.
Holy Family’s three pitchers combined for a no-hitter versus Summit. The trio of senior Isaak Siefken, senior Blake Hammond and sophomore Jacob Syverson each threw two innings apiece. Siefken fanned six Tigers batters while Hammond and Syverson struck out four batters each. The Tigers reached base four times via one walk from Siefken and three from Hammond.
“The way they challenged us, basically, was with their velocity,” Stehler said of the Holy Family pitchers. “They were hitting 88 to 89 mph. They were definitely power pitchers, for sure.”
Stehler said the Tigers were effective forcing outs from grounders and fly balls in the field. Sophomore Cassius Bradford led Summit with seven putouts and added one assist while sophomore Will Kill added four putouts and two assists himself.
With a 3-0 lead entering the fifth inning Holy Family pulled away with a four-run inning before finishing off Summit with a 3-run sixth inning for the 10-0 win.
“Hats off to their pitching staff, they kept us at bay,” Stehler said
Holy Family was led by senior Ryan Chacon’s 1-of-3 showing at the plate, including three runs batted in. When he wasn’t hurling fastballs Siefken was 2-of-3 at the plate, with three hits and two RBIs. Hammond and Holy Family junior Jared Delgado also registered RBIs while seven Holy Family batters accumulated hits.
Summit is next scheduled to play a doubleheader at home at the Frisco Peninsula versus Battle Mountain at 3 p.m. Tuesday, May 11, weather permitting.
Stehler said Summit will likely have talented sophomore pitcher Zach Willms take the mound Tuesday. The coach added Summit will also lean on Misch’s pitching through the season, though the do-it-all senior is also Summit’s best infielder at shortstop.
“If we get back to playing our game and style of baseball, we’re going to be successful,” Stehler said.
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