Cedarville shuts out Malone in game three of Malone series

By Danielle Cherry 

Coming off of Friday’s double header against Malone, the series knotted at 1-1, the Jackets were ready to reclaim their home field. With an efficient first inning and excellent defense, Cedarville more than won the game, shutting Malone out 7-0.

The weather didn’t help anyone, with wet grass and clouds glooming the day. Yet despite the weather’s dejected presence, Cedarville came out pitching strong. Right from the start, Max Doepker wanted a win, striking out the Pioneers with his first throwing pass. 

With an incredible 88 pitch count efficiency, Doepker set the tone for the whole defensive game. Offensively, he stood fifth in the lineup, one of few pitchers with the athleticism and versatility to also hit.

“Max Doepker is one of our players that adapts well and never changes,” said head coach Matt Richter. “He was the right guy to give the ball to. He pitched well, and helped himself with a couple of base hits, too.”

As Cedarville was at the dish, players switched between bunting and hitting to keep Malone’s pitcher off his game—and it worked, as he threw eight balls and allowed the Jackets to take two strolls to first. 

Lousy pitching from Malone gave Cedarville an easy lead, taking advantage and swinging hard, loading the bases easily. Kaden Wilde took the term “strategy” personally, lining out to left field, but allowing Cedarville to come home with their first run. 

As the bases were vibrating with energy, the pressure was on as Grayson Weikel stepped up to the plate. With a shot right down first, Weikel brought two Jackets safely back home, leaving Malone in the dust 4-0. 

The knockout start left no room for Malone to keep up the pace. While presenting a good defense, they struggled to load bases and swing against Doepker’s speedy throws. His 26 batters faced kept the on-base traffic low, with no chance for Malone to advance any further than second. 

On the field, infielders Henderson and Poindexter had a telepathic connection. As Henderson scooped up a grounder, Poindexter was already turning for the catch. Between the two of them, runners going for first never stood a chance, with the ball beating them every time. 

With the wind wearing on everyone, Doepker’s throws started to go astray, giving up some balls to Malone. At the bat, Cedarville was at a loss, uncertain how to break past the contradiction of balls to strikes from Malone’s three different pitchers. With swings hurtling the ball high, the Pioneers had an easy time catching them. 

“It’s tough to play on a day with weather delays, and you just hope your guys are flexible enough to perform well,” Richter said. 

Despite the sky spitting at them, what never let up was the Jacket’s defense. Being an outfielder doesn’t always mean you will see action, but Riley Finkelston was always on guard. As a ball came hurtling his way, an epic sprint to dive had the whole stadium cheering. 

While runs were scored by the offense, Cedarville’s defensive game was the real victory, throwing four double plays throughout the game. With scoops, dives and last ditch throws, the Jackets never tired—with balls speeding to the awaiting glove, as if they were in their own race. 

In the fourth inning, Cedarville sealed the deal. With Copper Martin up to bat, Cedarville was feeling the lull in runs. Already assisting in five outs, with three putouts to himself, Martin was here to prove his offense was just as reliable as his defense. 

Winding up for the pitch, Martin’s swing sent the ball out of the yard, getting to run all the way home. As he taped the dish, his teammates rushed him, all yelling “boom!”

Call it a Marvel moment—Poindexter didn’t miss, living up to the Bullseye name, throwing with accuracy and strategy that elevated gameplay. Malone got caught in the crossfire in a rundown—throwing the first base out, leaving a Pioneer runner stuck between first and second. 

“Grant Poindexter has responded well since moving into the lineup at first base on a full-time basis,” Richter said. “He’s hitting line drives and has become an invaluable member of the team.” 

In a truly comedic moment, the Malone runner kept going back and forth between the two bases as Cedarville took a moment to play tag with the player. Yet the play wouldn’t have been possible without Poindexter’s snap thinking to stop the play at first before moving to second. 

By the fifth inning, the desire turned to putting more points on the board. Bases already loaded from Doepker, Graham Ward shot the ball far out, bringing not one, but two men back to the dish, with himself sliding into first in a quick save after trying to steal second. 

Reaching the final inning, Cedarville threw their final double play, shutting Malone down without ever letting them touch home. In a truly effortless game, Cedarville came out 7-0 against Malone, proving that a swinging game is not always the one that leads to a victory. 

The Jackets (16-24) ultimately fell to Malone in the second game of the doubleheader, 8-4, as a tie game unraveled from the men’s grasp in the final innings. They will face Walsh in their second-to-last regular-season series, April 24 and 25, hoping to pull out a win to make it into the GMAC tournament in May. 

Danielle Cherry is a sophomore communication major and writer for Cedars A&E and Sports. She is a Missionary Kid from Germany who learned a lot from this one baseball game.