Baseball: Newman swings big bats, takes advantage of Bureau Valley errors in Three Rivers East win

MANLIUS – When the Newman Comets are swinging the bats well, they have hitters up and down the lineup who can do damage

The Bureau Valley Storm found out the hard way Wednesday when the Comets rallied from a 3-1 deficit after the first inning by breaking out in a big way.

The Comets scored five runs in the top of the second inning and put up another five spot in the fifth to put the finishing touches on a 13-3 Three Rivers East victory. Seven batters hit safely as the Comets outhit the Storm 10-6.

“We put the ball in play. Made plays besides the first inning. Settled in really good. We were hitting the ball really well today. It was overall a good win,” Newman senior Brendan Tunink said.

“That was a good conference win,” Newman sophomore shortstop Garrett Matznick said. “Any conference win is a good one, because they’re usually close. It’s good to take care of business.”

The Storm (9-9, 3-3 TRC East) certainly didn’t do themselves any favors, making six errors that led to 11 unearned runs.

“That’s a really talented team. They’ve got some talented dudes at the plate for sure. We’ll give them a ton of credit for just pounding the ball,” BV coach Ryan Schisler said. “But that was kind of an unusual defensive effort for us as well. We opened the door for more opportunities for them to punish us and you just can’t do that against a good team.

“I think we ended up with six errors and those are plays we make on a normal day. We just didn’t make them today. I guess that’s the beauty and the beast of baseball.”

The Comets (13-4-1, 6-1) scored an unearned run in the top of the first on two Storm errors.

The Storm answered with three runs in the home half of the first. They too benefited from errors as Newman made two misplays in the field.

Leadoff man Bryce Helms reached on an error and Landen Birdsley followed with a double. Elijah Endress drove in the first run on a grounder to first base that was mishandled. Logan Philhower put the Storm up 2-1 with an RBI groundout to third, and Blake Foster made it 3-1 with a RBI single to center.

Then the wheels fell off for the Storm as two of the first four batters for Newman in the second inning reached on errors, leading to one run.

Matznick ripped a two-run triple to center to put the Comets on top at 4-3.

With a base open, Schisler elected to give Tunink, a Notre Dame recruit, an intentional walk. Daniel Kelly made the Storm pay with a two-run double to left to make it 6-3.

“We know they got a lot of guys throughout their lineup that can pound the ball. That’s the chance you take,” Schisler said. “You got to show that some respect to the player he’s [Tunink] been. That was the right move. Hats off to their kid to making us pay.”

Newman tacked on two more runs in the fourth inning, including an RBI triple by Chase Decker and another Storm error to go up 8-3.

Tunink got a chance to swing away with two outs and nobody on in the fifth inning and deposited a blast into the row of pine trees past the center field fence.

Tunink, who is known as the “Big Tuna,” was just happy to swing the bat after the earlier free pass.

“Especially when you’re in a slump a little bit, it’s a little frustrating to get a walk when you want to try to get out of it,” he said. “The last hit felt really good to feel that feeling again, that’s for sure.”

“Not a surprise to us much anymore when he hits one out. He’ll be ready once playoffs start,” Matznick said.

Schisler joked he won’t miss seeing those kind of hits from Tunink after he graduates.

“Probably one of the longest home runs I’ve seen at our place,” he said. “I’m sure he’ll go on to have a great career beyond our conference.

Matznick, Kelly and Decker each had two hits for the Comets. Matznick, who previously attended Bureau Valley schools, hopes it’s a sign of good things to come.

“I started off the season slow. Getting under the ball a little bit. So I’m tying to stay through the ball,” he said. “Had some good swings today so hopefully will get me going.”

Evan Bushman allowed three runs, none earned, for the complete-game victory, allowing six hits and one walk with five strikeouts over five innings.