Trojans ride to win on suicide surprise

Updated: April 22, 2011 2:00PM

WHITING - His No. 9 hitter was up. The infield was drawn in. It was a tied game. And it's frankly not something Highland coach Dan Miller has done all that often in his 27 years of coaching.

But Miller went for the suicide squeeze, anyway.

"I trust Billy," the Highland coach said.

And Billy Gerstner showed why. The  Trojans' No. 9 hitter laid down a perfect bunt down the first-base line with Luke Polster barreling down the third-base line to give Highland the go-ahead run in a 6-4 victory over Whiting on Wednesday at Oil City Stadium.

With Highland having just tied the game at 3-3 in the top of the sixth inning on Polster's second RBI double of the game (he moved to third on the throw home), Gerstner and Polster were mildly surprised to see the squeeze sign - which called for Gerstner to take the first pitch and bunt no matter what on the second - but they were confident they could pull it off.

"I consider myself a pretty good bunter," Gerstner said.

"He's not overselling it," Polster added. "He really is. I have a lot of faith in Billy."

It's the kind of play Highland (6-2) is going to need a lot of this season if it hopes to contend for the Northwest Crossroads Conference championship. Without a lot of power in the lineup, the Trojans will win with pitching, defense and smart, savvy hitting.

"We don't have a lot of mashers," Miller said. "So we have to play that kind of small ball. ‘Our pitching's carried us, so we have to play some good defense and get some timely hits - and squeeze if we have to.' "

Getting a boost from the bottom of the lineup certainly helps. Polster, the No. 8 hitter who has watched the designated hitter take his spot in the lineup more often than not in his first varsity season, was 2-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI and the winning run.

His first double drove home winning pitcher Keith Mahler to give Highland a 2-1 lead in the fourth. His second double drove home Kyle Stephens all the way from first to tie the score at 3-3 in the sixth and trigger a four-run inning that broke open a tight game.

"I felt I looked pretty bad in my first at-bat (a pop-out to second), so I wanted to make up for that," Polster said. "I'd really like to hit this year."

Well, good news, kid.

"We're going to have to start batting him," Miller said.

The game started as a tight pitchers' duel between Mahler and Whiting's Coty Sparks. Sparks walked Mike Gamaleri on four pitches to open the game, and Gamaleri scored on a two-out Mahler single. But he settled down after that - until the sixth, that is.

With Whiting up 3-2, Stephens laced a one-out single. Polster followed with his double to tie it, then the suicide squeeze to take the lead at 4-3. Sparks was replaced by Nick Filipek at that point, and Highland added two more runs on a walk, a hit batsmen and two errors.

Mahler, meanwhile, showed the Highland pitching staff is more than just Purdue-bound Jordan Minch. He allowed a Justin Jendreas RBI double in the third and a pair of run-scoring hits by Sparks and Mike Casillas in the fourth. But - after talking Miller out of taking him out of the game - he shut down the Oilers (1-5) in the fifth and sixth innings before loading the bases in the seventh. Matt Knesek got the last two outs, including a run-scoring fielder's choice by pinch-hitter Matt Lowe.

It was another frustrating loss for Whiting, which has state championship hopes in Class 1A but has lost five of six to start the season. Work on the new stadium plus lousy weather have allowed the Oilers only a few outdoor practices all season, and some new faces in some key places have contributed to the slow start.

But coach Kevin Lenz isn't concerned, especially after his team hung tough with a very good 4A Highland squad.

"It's a long season," Lenz said. "Conference hasn't started yet, and sectionals haven't started yet. Our two goals are to win conference and sectionals, and neither one of those seasons has started yet. UConn showed it's not how you start, but how you finish."

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