MANKATO — Right-hander Ben Melius gave a clinic on how to work a lineup Tuesday, tossing a six-hitter for Winthrop in a 3-1 amateur baseball victory over the Kato Cubs at Franklin Rogers Park.
Melius, the ace of Winthrop’s staff, used an array of offspeed pitches to keep the Cubs lineup off balance for most of the night. He finished with five strikeouts, walked four and gave up one earned run.
“It was mostly curveballs and sliders,” Melius said afterward. “My fastball was popping a little more than usual so I was able to use that in some key spots, too.”
Winthrop jumped to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Scott Palmer drew a one-out walk off starter Brendon Watts, went to third on a single down the left-field line by Ben Melius and scored on a grounder to short by Chris Fahey.
The visitors added two more runs — both unearned — in the top of the second. With two outs, Jared Werner reached first when his swinging third strike rolled to the backstop for a passed ball. Two hits and two wild-pitches later, Winthrop had a 3-0 lead.
The Cubs scored their only run in the bottom of the third. Chris Ward walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a ground out and scored on a single to right by J.J. Cattrysse.
Mankato had a golden opportunity to score again in the seventh but took themselves out of a rally with some over-aggressive base running.
With runners on first and second and one out, Tyler Kuch bounced a single up the middle. Center fielder Pat O’Malley picked the ball up cleanly and threw a strike to home where catcher Andy Melius easily put the tag on Jon Howard trying to score from second.
“I made a poor decision to send him,” said Cubs manager Art Westphal, who waved Howard home from the third-base coaching box. “When you consider the situation, with J.J. Cattrysse coming up, it would have been smarter to hold him up.
“We got a few hits tonight but we didn’t get the key hits. We didn’t get the hits with runners in scoring position. You have to give their pitcher credit for a lot of that, he pitched a nice game.”
Kuch was the only Mankato player with two hits and Cattrysse had the only RBI. O’Malley and Kris Swenson had two hits apiece for Winthrop (8-13).
The Cubs (8-8) are off until Sunday, July 12, when they take on the Cleveland Spiders at Wolverton Field. Starting time is 2 p.m.
Sports
Related Photos
-
Pat Christman
-
Pat Christman
Winthrop's Melius stifles Kato Cubs
Mankato manages just one run in non-league game
- Sports
-
-
West duo’s final performance at MSU as Kenny & Shorty
Former Mankato West standouts Kenra Huettl and Amanda Umhoefer enter their final seasons of collegiate softball at Minnesota State University.
-
Mankato dentist will go old school for Birkebeiner
-
Another weekend in Splitsville for the Maverick hockey team
-
Giants win Super Bowl 21-17
Eli Manning named Super Bowl MVP after leading 88-yard touchdown drive in final minutes.
-
MSU hockey review: Minnesota State remains trendy
Another series split, more strong games from the freshmen
-
Cross: Some traps have no business in nature
When it comes to trapping, there are traps that do the job, and then there is overkill.
-
First period dooms Minnesota State hockey team
Michigan Tech scored six goals in the first period en route to the 7-3 WCHA victory over the Mavericks. It was the fifth consecutive series split for Minnesota State.
-
Margenthaler delivers sharp message after MSU's latest loss
Matt Margenthaler says jobs are on the line after Minnesota State's loss Saturday to Wayne State.
-
4th-ranked Wayne State drubs MSU women 83-45
From the 12-minute mark of the first half, Wayne State showed why it's the top team in the Northern Sun, rolling the Mavericks 83-45 Saturday at Bresnan Arena.
-
PucKato by Shane Frederick
MSU vs. Michigan Tech live chat
Shane Frederick will provide coverage, commentary and a little back and forth with the fans during tonight's Minnesota State hockey game against Michigan Tech at the Verizon Wireless Center. The puck drops at 7:07 p.m.
- More Sports Headlines
-
