Cape Central baseball team fails to dig out of early hole vs. Kennett

Kennett jumped all over Central in the first two innings Monday.

The Indians banged out five hits and scored six runs, and the host Tigers (0-1) never recovered to fall 8-4 in the baseball season opener for both teams.

"We swung the bats pretty well," Kennett coach Aaron New said. "A couple of guys at the top of our order came through with big hits for us. Any time you can get a lead on somebody, it makes it a little easier throughout the rest of the game."

The big bats at the top of the order were Daniel Lockhert and Adam Grantham.

Lockhert finished 3 for 4 with two doubles, while Grantham went 2 for 3 with a double, triple, two runs and four RBIs.

"We were swinging at good pitches," Grantham said. "That's key early in the year is to be sure you're seeing the ball well. I felt like as a team we were seeing it pretty well and swinging it pretty well."

Grantham got things started for the Indians (1-0) in the first inning when he lined the first pitch he saw into left-center to drive in two runs.

"We wanted to come out here and get runs on the board quick," Grantham said. "[Lockhert] did a good job getting in scoring position, and I got a good pitch and put a pretty good swing on it."

Kennett added another run in the first on a Central error.

The Indians added three more runs in the second, including two on a Grantham triple.

"They put some good swings on pitches early in the game and got a lead," Central coach Steve Williams said. "They're a good ballclub. They're going to be tough to beat no matter what. And if you give them a little head start like we did, it's going to be tough to catch them."

The Tigers managed to trail just 6-3 after three innings after scoring on a Ryan Siebert RBI single in the first and pushing across two more runs in the third.

Central had a chance to pull closer in the third when it loaded the bases with two outs.

But Kennett reliever Tyson Campbell struck out Chase Hagerty to end the threat.

"That was kind of the M.O. for today," Williams said. "We had a couple of chances with men on base, either first or second or bases loaded, and one more hit makes it all of a sudden a one- or two-run game and now the pressure's on. And that will come. At least we battled. We had a chance. I'm pleased our kids are battling. We just have to get a little better."

Campbell stepped up huge for the Indians. He relieved winning pitcher Ryan Pullin after 2 2/3 innings. Campbell allowed one unearned run and struck out four over 3 1/3 innings.

"Tyson's a sophomore and he came in today and did a really good job and held them down," New said. "He gave up a run today -- I think it was an unearned run -- but he came in today and really slowed them down."

The Tigers settled in on the mound as well.

After allowing six runs on five hits through the first two innings, the Tigers held the Indians to just two runs on three hits through the next five innings.

"Their pitching really settled in there," New said. "After the first two innings, they gave up just a couple of more runs there. Their pitcher started throwing his curveball for strikes, and their pitching did a good job the rest of the game after the slow start."

Central sophomore Matt Chism took over for starter Thomas Crocetti and managed to limit the Indians.

"He's working on some mechanical things," Williams said about Chism. "He gets a little bit in a hurry sometimes, but when he stays balanced and everything, he did a nice job. And he's going to have to pitch for us because we have a lot of young pitchers this year. Matt's going to do a nice job. He's got a nice arm."

The Indians got to Chism to start the fifth. They added two insurance runs to seal the deal.

Central tried to rally in the bottom of the fifth when it put runners on first and second with one out, but Campbell fanned the next two batters to end the threat.

The Tigers managed to draw 10 walks in the game to help them put runners in scoring position, but nine strikeouts doomed the Tigers.

"We had a couple of chances to really make it a ballgame," Williams said. "Problem is we had nine strikeouts, too. Nine times out of 21 outs we didn't put it in play. A few times we did put it in play we got a little help. It's the first game of the season. It's not the end of the world. We just have to get better offensively and make sure we limit the number of our strikeouts and put the ball in play. And limit damage. We had a couple of times we made a couple bad pitches and Grantham and a couple kids made us pay for it."

Kennett 330 020 0 -- 8 8 1

Central 102 001 0 -- 4 5 1

WP -- Ryan Pullin. LP -- Thomas Crocetti. 3B -- Adam Grantham (K). 2B -- Grantham (K), Daniel Lockhert 2 (K), Payton Raspberry (K), Ramsey Scott (C), Crocetti (C). Multiple hits: Kennett -- Lockhert 3-4, Grantham 2-3, Tyson Campbell 2-4. Central -- Crocetti 2-3.