Home Talent: Poynette falls to Rio, Montello

Issuing too many free passes got Poynette in trouble against Rio.

Following that 9-3 Night League loss on Thursday, July 11, the Indians dug too big a hole to get out of in an 11-3 loss to Montello on Sunday.

“Montello hit the ball well today, and we weren't able to answer,” said Davy Tomlinson, Poynette manager. “We fell behind early and really couldn't mount much of a comeback.”

Joel Thimsen homered twice late against Montello, but it wasn’t enough for Poynette, who took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Montello reeled off a run of 10 runs over the next six innings before the Indians stopped the bleeding.

Outhit 19-9, Poynette got two hits apiece from Thimsen and Ian Nowell. Dacota Potter had a double.

Andy Knuteson took the loss, going five and a third innings, allowing eight earned runs and 15 hits, while striking out two and walking three. Will Eckstein and Carter Hansen also pitched for Poynette.

Montello is now 4-4 and still fighting for one of the four playoff spots in the Eastern Section.

Rio 9, Poynette 3

Indians’ pitchers walked or hit Rio batters 12 times, and a five-run sixth inning broke the game open.

Five different hitters for Poynette had singles. Potter was saddled with the loss, despite giving up no earned runs. In the fifth, Tomlinson walked with the bases loaded, and Thimsen was hit by a pitch to force in another run. A Potter fielder’s choice brought in another run in the seventh.

Poynette stranded 11 baserunners and struck out 11 times.

“You just can't walk a team that often and expect to come out on top,” said Tomlinson. “Our staff struggled tonight as a group with walks and hit by pitches. We weren't our best offensively tonight, and we left too many on base.”

Poynette is 6-12 overall, 3-6 in league play, 1-5 in the Night League and 2-1 in exhibition play.

The Indians are playing a makeup game from June 1 Tuesday at Rio, with a Night League game at Verona on Thursday and another road game on Sunday at DeForest.