Doty blanks Larkin for Elgin's first win
Locked in a scoreless pitcher's duel with Larkin senior Jake McCleary, Elgin sophomore Alex Doty knew he wouldn't need much run support to win the finale of the crosstown classic at Elgin's Trout Park on Tuesday.
"After the fifth inning I was telling myself all I need is one (run) and I'm getting it done," Doty said.
The Maroons obliged by scratching across an unearned run in the top of the seventh. Doty kept his part of the bargain by retiring Larkin in order to seal the complete-game 1-0 victory in the Upstate Eight.
The win was the first of the season for Elgin (1-6, 1-3) and gave the Maroons a split of the two-game set with rival Larkin (3-8-1, 2-2).
Doty (1-1) was around the plate all night. He allowed 4 hits, struck out 7, walked none and hit one batter. He mixed in four pitches but relied mainly on a well-located fastball.
"I was spotting it pretty good," Doty, a right-hander said. "I knew who their big hitters were; I knew where they were weak. I was spotting them where they needed to be spotted. (Assistant) coach (Randy Hammer) was calling (pitches) and getting it done."
McCleary (2-2) was just as effective. The right-hander held Elgin to 3 hits with 7 strikeouts, 1 walk and 1 hit batsman in 7 innings. He faced the minimum for four straight innings until Elgin junior Jacob Meyer reached base via an infield error to lead off the seventh.
Adrian Martinez followed with a basehit up the middle, the first hit for the Maroons since the second inning.
McCleary made a diving catch of a popped-up bunt attempt for the first out, but he proceeded to load the bases by hitting Andrew Higdon in the leg with a pitch. Elgin sophomore Gage Teschner subsequently grounded a chopper down the third-base line, which ate up the Larkin third baseman on the short hop and went for a run-scoring hit.
"I was trying to hit the ball in play," said Teschner, the only player on either team to finish the game with 2 hits. "I was behind in the count. It feels great. (Larkin) is a great team."
McCleary induced a pair of groundballs to strand the bags packed, but Doty offered Larkin hitters no reprieve in their final at-bats. He struck out the No. 6 man in the order on a 2-2 fastball and induced a pair of groundballs to end the game. Doty didn't allow a Larkin baserunner past second base.
"You have to tip your cap to their pitcher," Royals coach Matt Esterino said. "He did a good job. He beared down with 2 strikes and threw the pitches he needed to, and we just couldn't come up with that big hit... He was a little bit better than ours, but Jake threw really well. He should hold his head up high."
Game 2 of the series was a complete turnaround from Game 1 on Monday, which Larkin won 12-1 in five innings.
"The best part about this is the way we battled and came back from (Monday) night," Elgin coach David Foerster said. "That was a tough game for us as far as just the way it happened, losing by the score that we lost by. It shows the true character we have. We have great kids, hard working, and they deserved tonight."