Pilz strikes out eight, has two-run double for Rockets

By Paul Lecker

Sports Reporter

SPENCER — The Spencer baseball team won its fourth-straight game to start the season, powering past Greenwood 11-1 in a Cloverbelt Conference East Division game Monday at Spencer High School.

The Rockets (4-0, 3-0 Cloverbelt East) scored twice in the first on a double by Bobby Pilz and added two more in the fourth on a double from Nate Neumann.

Spencer ended the game via the 10-run rule by scoring seven runs in the bottom of the sixth as the Rockets took advantage of six walks in the frame.

Pilz earned the win, giving up just a single run in the fifth inning and only four hits. He struck out eight and walked three.

Neumann, Pilz, and Hunter Luepke each had two hits for Spencer, which pulls into a tie for first place with Loyal in the Cloverbelt East standings.

“Greenwood is always tough,” Spencer coach Steve Pilz said. “They’re very well-coached. We took advantage of the bases on balls (13 total) and were patient at the plate. Our pitching has been keeping us in games.”

Spencer hosts Gilman at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

(Hub City Times Sports Reporter Paul Lecker is also the publisher of MarshfieldAreaSports.com.)

Rockets 11, Indians 1

Greenwood 000 010 – 1 4 3

Spencer 202 007 – 11 8 3

WP: Bobby Pilz. LP: Devin Toburen.

SO: Pilz 8. BB: Pilz 3.

Top hitters: G, Walker Wuethrich 2 hits. S, Pilz 1B, 2B, 2 RBIs; Nate Neumann 1B, 2B, 2 RBIs; Ryan Busse 2B; Hunter Luepke 2 hits.

Records: Greenwood 3-3, 3-1 Cloverbelt East; Spencer 4-0, 3-0 Cloverbelt East.