PREP BASEBALL: Cameron Steinbaugh leads Tigers past Trojans

Apr. 20—WESTVILLE — Every baseball coach loathes leadoff walks from his pitchers.

Inevitably, they lead to runs, which turns into losses.

That's exactly what happened Friday afternoon at Potomac Grade School. Armstrong-Potomac senior right-hander Kollin Asbury gave up a pair of leadoff walks in the fifth and sixth innings and the Westville Tigers turned them into five runs on their way to a 5-1 victory in a Vermilion Valley Conference baseball game.

"Kollin knew it," said Armstrong-Potomac coach Wade Rogers. "He is a heck of a pitcher and those things will happen."

Asbury, who entered Friday's game with a 0.00 earned-run average in 25.1 innings, gave himself a 1-0 lead with a solo home run in the fourth and on the mound he had only allowed 1 hit while striking out eight in the first 12 batters he faced on Friday.But, the first batter he faced in the fifth was Westville sophomore Matt Darling, who drew a walk on five pitches. Easton Barney, who singled in the second inning, followed with another hit and the Tigers had runners on first and third with no outs.

"We were looking for something to spark our offense and the walk was all it took," Westville coach Joe Brazas said.

Senior Cade Schaumburg tied the game at 1-1 with an RBI single to center and the Tigers took the lead for good when Barney scored on a wild pitch with two outs in the inning.

"I knew we were a good hitting team and we could come back from anything," said Schaumburg. "A one-run deficit isn't much to us. We've been putting quite a few runs on the board all season."

The Tigers kept the pressure on Asbury, drawing two more walks to load the bases and senior shortstop Zach Russell delivered a two-out, two-run single to give the Tigers a 4-1 lead.

"Our dugout was quiet early," Brazas said. "Once we saw someone get on base and then Barney follows with a hit, we felt like maybe we had something.

"I was really happy that we showed trust in each other to get it done."

That was more than enough offense for junior right-hander Cameron Steinbaugh, who struck out 10 on his way to his second complete-game victory of the season.

"I knew I had to pound the zone," Steinbaugh said. "They is a good team, but I think we had them on the hitting side."

Finding the zone was the biggest key for both pitchers.

"You just have to stay calm and stay focused," Steinbaugh said. "You just have to make sure that you are going right at the hitters."

The only run that Steinbaugh allowed came on the solo home run by Asbury in the fourth inning on a 3-2 pitch.

"That was just a great job by Cameron," Brazas said. "He has quite a few pitches in his arsenal and he was using them well ... he is a bulldog. He is always going to give you 110 percent.

"I think he got better as the game went along. When you slow down a little better and his breaking ball started working a little better. We weren't sure he could make it all seven innings."

Other than the home run, the Trojans didn't have a single baserunner get to third base against Steinbaugh and the only one that tried was thrown out by Westville catcher Drew Wichtowski.

"We didn't execute when we needed to and they did," Rogers aid. "That's the name of the game."

With the victory, Westville (15-3-1 overall) maintains first place in the Vermilion Valley Conference with a 5-0 record. Armstrong-Potomac falls to 10-3 overall and 3-2 in the league.

At Potomac Grade School

Westville 5, Armstrong-Potomac 1

Westville 000 041 0 — 5 6 2

A-P 000 100 0 — 1 5 2

WP — Cameron Steinbaugh. LP — Kollin Asbury. Two or more hits — Westville: Easton Barney 3. HR — AP: Asbury. RBIs — Westville: Schaumburg 2, Zach Russell 2. AP: Asbury.

Records — Westville 15-3-1 overall, 5-0 in the Vermilion Valley Conference. Armstrong-Potomac 10-3 overall, 3-2 in the VVC.