BROWNSTOWN — Two of the top baseball teams in the Downriver League shared the diamond for a key matchup on Thursday as Brownstown Woodhaven welcomed in Allen Park for a doubleheader.
Originally scheduled as a single game to be played at Allen Park, the two teams collectively agreed to shift the scene to Woodhaven and make it a double dip. The back end of the twin bill was formally a makeup of a previously postponed contest at Woodhaven back on April 11. Allen Park served as the home team in game one while the host Warriors then had last at-bats in game two.
By day’s end, a pair of low-scoring affairs amounted to a split. Game one saw Allen Park storm back late and pick up a victory while Woodhaven was able to hang on and salvage a game two win in dramatic fashion.
PHOTO GALLERY: Baseball – Allen Park vs Brownstown Woodhaven
GAME ONE | Allen Park 3, Woodhaven 1
Offense was by and large hard to come by for both squads in both games on Thursday. In game one, the two combined for just eight total hits with Woodhaven collecting five of them.
Allen Park, however, turned in their three knocks when it mattered most as all of those hits led to their furious rally late to steal game one away from the Warriors.
The comeback effort started after the Jags were held hitless through the first five innings against starter Andrew Phillips, who tossed all six innings for Woodhaven. Phillips prior to the sixth allowed just a pair of walks, one each in the third and fourth innings.
That effort from Phillips proved to be crucial throughout as the only run support that Woodhaven could provide was a Jimmy Chwalek RBI sacrifice flyout to score Dante Perry in the top of the third inning.
The Warriors were not completely void of scoring opportunities elsewhere as they stranded six runners through the first five innngs including multiple runners in the first and third frames. They also saw a baserunner in Cam Thorning cut down trying to swipe third base in the second.
Despite having to navigate some traffic on the basepaths, Allen Park pitchers Gerry Klos and Jake Stickler not only limited the damage but kept the Jags within striking distance. Klos started the first two frames before giving way to Stickler to spin the final five frames on the bump.
Stickler was also in the middle of the comeback rally that Allen Park put together in the sixth to eventually take the lead and win. The inning started with back-to-back singles from Santana Villarreal and Braylon Orsette. Then it was a Reed Picotte bunt attempt and subsequent throwing error from Woodhaven's Phillips that allowed Villarreal to score and tie things up at 1-1.
After an intentional walk issued to Stickler, his second free pass of the game, it was Steven Doyle delivering the heroics with a two-run single in the ensuing at-bat to score both Orsette and Picotte. Doyle had struck out twice against Phillips earlier in the contest.
All eight hits in the game were singles. Woodhaven's Adrian Sadiku was the only player to turn in a two-hit game while the Warriors' Gary Pilgrim also reached base safely twice with a pair of walks drawn.
GAME TWO | Woodhaven 4, Allen Park 3
The nightcap drew similar parallels to game one on Thursday with it being primarily a pitcher's duel and also featuring some late-game drama.
This time, however, it was Woodhaven, who was back on the home side of the ledger for game two, eking out a victory with a run to break a 3-3 tie in their final at-bats of the contest.
The Warriors came out firing in the bottom of the first inning of game two. A bases-loaded walk to Chwalek followed by an RBI fielder's choice from Phillips that plated two put the hometown squad up 3-0 early.
That was essentially all of the damage done to Allen Park hurler Jack Labiak, who eventually settled in and allowed just three hits and four baserunners over the next four innings following the three-run first.
That work from Labiak alowed for the Jags to climb back into it. An RBI fielder's choice from Cam Johnson and an RBI single from Jared Villareal trimmed Allen Park's deficit down to one in the fourth inning. Villareal came through again in the sixth with another run-scoring single to tie things up at 3-all.
After being shut down by Labiak and eventually Doyle, the bats for Woodhaven woke up just enough when it mattered most in the bottom of the seventh. After a leadoff single from Dante Perry followed by a sacrifice bunt from Jace Davis, it was Sadiku singling up the middle to score Perry as the game-winning go-ahead run.
The heroic hit was one of three on the game for Sadiku and one of seven for Woodhaven as a team. Thorning joined Sadiku in the multi-hit department with a two-hit showing of his own.
Pilgrim went the distance on the mound for the Warriors, allowing the three runs on five hits and three walks over his seven innings of work.
Villareal meanwhile matched Sadiku with a game-best three hits. Stickler also reached base safely three times for Allen Park with a hit and two walks.
UP NEXT
Woodhaven (11-9, 6-4 DRL) has a quick turnaround as they are back in action on Friday, May 3 at home. The Warriors will step out of conference play and welcome another familiar are foe in Division 2 top-ranked New Boston Huron for a single game in the evening (6:00p).
Woodhaven will then resume DRL play next week, starting with a home game against Lincoln Park on Monday, May 6 (4:30p).
Allen Park (13-3, 9-2 DRL) meanwhile is back in action for a rare Sunday tilt when they take on Macomb L'Anse Creuse North down at Comerica Park in Detroit on May 5 (4:00p). The Jags will then continue their DRL schedule when they visit Gibraltar Carlson on May 6 (4:30p).
