Everything that went right during the first six games for the Litchfield VFW Post 2818 baseball team went wrong in Monday’s double-header.
Foley handed Litchfield back-to-back losses for the first time season season, beating Post 2818 11-2 and 6-0 at Optimist Park.
Litchfield (5-3) issued 12 walks and committed four errors in the double-header.
Post 2818 managed just eight hits and two runs on offense.
“The pitchers have to throw strikes and come after hitters,” Litchfield coach Jeff Wollin said. “Jake (Schultz) didn’t do that and Oliver (Leafblad) didn’t in the second game. I don’t think (Foley) is going to be the best team we play, so we need to play better all around.”
Litchfield led 2-0 in the opener when things unraveled in the top of the fourth inning.
Walks, wild pitches and defensive lapses allowed Foley to score seven runs – three earned – off Schultz.
Foley tacked on four insurance runs to take the opener.
Schultz and Carson Deal each had two hits for Litchfield.
Schultz had the only two hits for Post 2818 during the 6-0 loss in Game 2.
Leafblad was tagged with the loss, allowing four hits and four runs in three innings. He walked five and struck out two.
Litchfield enters its busiest portion of the schedule.
After back-to-back double-headers against Paynesville (Wednesday) and Cold Spring (today), Litchfield plays three straight double-headers to start next week.
Litchfield plays St. Cloud Blue at 10 a.m. Monday at Whitney Park before playing host to Little Falls at 11 a.m. Tuesday.
Post 2818 plays two more games at Brainerd starting at 11 a.m. Wednesday.
“We might lose a few guys to marching band, but I think we have enough pitching to handle it,” Wollin said. “It seems like we are still feeling the affects of the spring weather and now we’ve hit a rainy stretch of summer. We should be fine. We just need to throw strikes and give ourselves a chance instead of playing from behind.”
Results Monday
Foley 11, Litchfield 2
Foley ………………. 000 730 1 – 11 12 1
Litchfield (5-2) …. 002 000 0 – 2 6 3
HITTING – Foley: Kron 3-for-5, RBI; Nick C. 2-for-3, 3 runs, RBI. Litchfield: Jake Schultz 2-for-3, run; Carson Deal 2-for-2; Kal Volinkaty 1-for-3; Oliver Leafblad 1-for-2, run.
PITCHING (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) – Foley: not available. Litchfield: Schultz (L) 3 1/3-5-7-3-5-3, Volinkaty 3 2/3-7-4-2-2-2.
Results Monday
Foley 6, Litchfield 0
Foley ………………. 103 02 – 6 7 1
Litchfield (5-3) …. 000 00 – 0 2 1
HITTING – Foley: not available. Litchfield: Jake Schultz 2-for-2, 2 SB.
PITCHING (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) – Foley: not available. Litchfield: Oliver Leafblad (L) 3-4-4-3-5-2, Jake Jones 2-3-2-2-0-2.