• 
• CLASS
• JOBS
• AUTO
• HOMES

Cards shut down Janesville Parker Vikings

Photo Gallery

Parker vs Middleton Big Eight Baseball Opener

View Gallery

JANESVILLE — Scoring runs was Janesville Parker coach Brian Martin’s biggest concern heading into the 2011 baseball season.

An opening-day 3-1 loss to Middleton in a Big Eight Conference game here Tuesday did little to erase what Martin hopes isn’t an ongoing problem.

The Vikings managed only four hits and struck out 13 times against two Cardinal pitchers.

Parker High’s Andy Kersten was solid on the mound, allowing only two earned runs and no walks. The Vikings’ defense had a costly error in the first but was mistake-free the rest of the way.

“A lot people think Middleton is a pretty good team, and we were right there with them,” Martin said of the Vikings’ battle with the four-time defending conference champions. “But we’ve got to find a way to score some runs.

“Our approach at the plate has got to be better, and that means being a little more aggressive. But we had some kids tonight that were playing their first varsity game.”

Middleton got the only run it needed in the top of the first. Luke Meeteer singled to open the game and advanced to second on a ground out. He scored on back-to-back Parker throwing errors.

Kevin Peternell was the story after that. The Cardinal righthander allowed only one hit through five innings and struck out 10. He struck out four in the bottom of the second as

Parker got its first base-runner of the game on a wild pitch on strike three.

“You have to go up there looking for something to hit. And that will come as we get more at-bats,” Martin said. “He (Peternell) wasn’t overpowering, but he mixed things up pretty well.”

Middleton made it 2-0 in the third on three hits before Peternell blasted a long home run in the sixth to push the lead to 3-0.

Parker got its only run in the seventh. Pinch-hitter Brady Brandt singled with two outs and advanced to second on a throwing error. Taran Kobs followed with an RBI single, but Hunter Marshall flied out to right to end the game.

The Vikings play at Beloit Memorial on Thursday, and host Pulaski in a nonconference doubleheader at noon Saturday at Riverside Park.

MIDDLETON 3, PARKER 1

Middleton (ab-r-h-rbi)—Meeteer, cf, 3-1-0-0; Redders, 2b, 3-1-1-0; Haack, 3b, 3-0-1-1; Peternell, p, 3-1-2-1; Miller, cr, 0-0-0-0; Meinholz, cr-ph, 1-0-0-0; Keeler, rf, 3-0-1-0; Adler, 1b, 2-0-0-0; Hanrahan, cr-ph, 1-0-0-0; Gorb, lf, 3-0-0-0; Redman, ss, 2-0-0-0; Arnold, c, 2-0-1-0. Totals: 26-3-6-2.

Parker (ab-r-h-rbi)—Franklin, rf, 3-0-0-0; Johnson, dh-p, 3-0-1-0; Heyerdahl, pr, 0-0-0-0; Welch, c, 3-0-0-0; Tr. Kobs, cf, 3-0-1-0; Henke, 1b, 2-0-0-0; Harmel, ph, 0-0-0-0; Thompson, ph, 1-0-0-0; Long, 2b, 2-0-0-0; Brooks, ph, 1-0-0-0; Bobzien, 3b, 2-0-0-0; Brandt, ph, 1-1-1-0; Ta. Kobs, lf, 2-0-1-1; Marshall, ss, 3-0-0-0. Totals: 25-1-4-1.

Middleton 101 001 0—3

Janesville Parker 000 000 1—1

E—Middleton 3, Parker 2. LOB—Middleton 2, Parker 5. SB—Meinholz. 2B—Haack, Tr. Kobs. HR—Peternell.

IP H R ER BB SO

Middleton

Peternell (W) 5 1 0 0 1 10

Miller (S) 2 3 1 0 0 3

Janesville Parker

Kersten (L) 6 6 3 2 0 2

Johnson 1 0 0 0 0 2