Saturday, May 22, 1999
Elder, Badin win baseball titles
BY DAVE SCHUTTE
Enquirer contributor
Putting the bat on the ball was Steve Witterstaeter's only goal when leading off the bottom of the sixth inning Friday in Elder's Division I district championship game against Centerville.
“I was struggling, although I thought I was seeing the ball well,” Witterstaeter said. “I'm not usually a long-ball hitter and I just wanted to make contact.
Witterstaeter made more than just contact.
With the count 1-1, Witterstaeter drove the ball into the gap in right field for a double. He scored on Aaron Brown's triple to give the Panthers a 10-8 victory and district title.
“Last year, Aaron hit a home run here at Midland to beat Glen Este in the last inning,” Elder coach Mark Thompson said. “I guess you can assume that he likes to hit in this park.”
Elder advanced to Friday's regional semifinals at Wright State against Piqua, a 3-1 winner over Glen Este.
There were no standouts for the Panthers, with six players hitting safely while seven drove in runs.
Tom Spille, called into action when starting center fielder Richie Jones was forced to sit out with a broken hand, had a big day. Besides drawing two walks, Spille also had an RBI single in the fifth inning.
“I haven't played much this season,” said Spille, a junior. “I didn't learn until yesterday that I would be starting. I'm just happy to contribute to the victory.”
Elder used two pitchers. Dan Bachman went four innings, allowing three earned runs and six hits. David Hummel was the winning pitcher, going the final three innings, allowing one earned run and one hit.
“We're normally a good defensive team but not today,” Thompson said. “Our (four) errors opened the door for Centerville, and they took advantage of them.”
Elder has won 10 state baseball championships, including at least one in the 1950's, 60's, 70's and 80's.
Centerville ....... 040 202 0— 8 7 2
Elder ....... 212 122 x—10 11 4
WP—Hummel. LP—Pyzoha. Hitting Leaders: E—Wabnitz 2B; Witterstaeter 2B; Brown 2-4, 3B; McClarnon 2-4, 2B; Lammers 2-2, 2 RBI; Wood 2-2; Spille 2 RBI. C—Ailes 2-4, 2 2B, 4 RBI; DeLong 2-4, 2B; Sharp 3B. Records: Elder 24-6, Centerville 27-5.
• Badin 7, Bellefontaine 1, Dayton Division II district at Wright State) — The Rams won their fifth district title in the 1990s.
Badin will play Lancaster Fairfield-Union in the regional semifinals 1:30 p.m. Friday, May 28 at Piqua High School.
Senior Brian Woods went the distance, scattering five hits and striking out six.
Senior Justin Haire started the rally with a solo homer in the third. Adam Kuzma followed with a run scoring single and Tony Mayer capped the inning with a two-run single.
Badin tacked on two runs in the fourth for insurance.
Badin ....... 005 200 0—7 13 2
Bellefontaine ....... 000 100 0—1 5 2
WP—Woods (6 K's, 7-2). LP—Hatcher (7-4). Hitting leaders: Bad—Haire 3-4, 2B, HR, 2 runs, 2RBI; Nieman 2-4; Kuzma 2-4; Brunner 2-3; Mayer 2-4. Bell—Brown 2-3; Hatcher 2-3. Records: Bad 24-6, Bell 23-5.
• Piqua 3, Glen Este 1, Division I district at Midland Field — Scott Rohrbach limited Glen Este to one run on five hits and struck out eight in the complete-game victory.
“Ricky (Spivey) walked seven which is uncharacteristic of him, two of those walks came back to hurt,” Glen Este coach John Hatfield said.
Spivey struck out 11, but was a little rusty after sitting out the last 10 days with a shoulder injury.
Piqua ....... 000 030 0—3 4 1
Glen Este ....... 010 000 0—1 5 1
WP—Rohrbach (8 K's, 9-1). LP—Spivey (11 K's, 4-4). Hitting leaders: P—Howell 2B, 2RBI. GE—
Christin 2B. Records: P 24-4, GE 15-11.
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