Virginia Canes ride offense to blast Indiana Bulls in first round of Geico City Series
GLENDALE, Wis. (BVM) — It didn’t take the Virginia Canes American 17U team long to make an impact at MSOE’s Raiders Stadium during the 2021 Geico Baseball City Series against the Indiana Bulls. In a game that saw the Virginia-based squad score runs in almost every inning, getting a runner across home in five out of seven, it was a decisive 11-3 victory for the Canes during the tournament’s opening round.
“[We] feel great,” Canes coach Jarrett Mustain said after the game. “Can’t ask for much more than coming out and putting runs on the board early and giving our pitchers some comfort and relief and for them going out and throwing strikes. Can’t ask for much more.”
In the top half of the first inning, the Canes would use an RBI ground rule double by East Carolina University commit Dixon Williams to strike first. Next up was Texas Christian University commit Zach Wadas who brought Williams home with an RBI triple, before a throwing error on the play brought him across the plate to put the Canes up 3-0.
That turned out to be all Canes’ starting pitcher and Bradley commit Brayden Marks would need. Marks would pitch three innings for the away team, giving up only four hits. Marks wouldn’t allow the Bulls to cross the plate in the first and his bats would help him once again.
“Brayden Marks, a first time Cane this week, he threw well,” Mustain said. “He came out, it was kind of nerve-wracking I’m sure, to not be on our team and have his first start out here in this big tournament so he came out and handled it well and did well on the bump.”
In the second, it would be Williams who would strike again with a big three-run blast over the right field wall giving the Canes a 6-0 lead. Although the Bulls would get a home run of their own when Aidyn Coffey hit a solo homer in the second, the only run Marks would allow during his outing.
In the third, the Canes added two runs thanks to California Baptist commit Michael Rodda driving in South Carolina commit George Wolkow before scoring himself after a sacrifice bunt and a run down on a steal attempt brought him in and giving the Virginia squad a commanding 8-1 lead.
Marks would end his day without much trouble in the third and after a scoreless fourth inning for both teams, the Canes would again strike in the fifth when Rodda brought Williams and Wadas home on a hard hit double to right field to bring the score to 10-1. The Bulls would score one run in the bottom of the fifth before the Canes matched it, once again pushing Williams home with a double by Wolkow in the sixth.
“I would say Dixon Williams swung it really well today, Zach Wadas swung it really well, Josiah Harrison had a big bunt for us to kind of get the momentum going,” Mustain said.
The Bulls would score once again in the bottom of the inning, giving them a run each off of relievers Caden Crouch and Virginia native and Broad Run High Schooler Jon Montagne, but it was too little too late. Neither team would score in the seventh with Montagne earning the save to end the game and give the Virginia team the 11-3 victory and their first win of the weekend.
“We’re feeling good,” Mustain said. “We’re definitely set up where we want to be arm-wise so we’re excited for that. Just looking forward to playing a good team tomorrow and getting things done and playing on Saturday.”
Overall, Mustain was impressed with how the tournament was handled and how great the environment was. His hope is that his team will once again find themselves in the series over the next few seasons.
“I was actually talking to the first base umpire, this whole venue and set up of the tournament is unbelievable, second to none,” Mustain said. “Literally when we got here, I said no matter if we come out here and lose every game or win every game we will be back next year if we are invited. This is just a beautiful setup and we are happy to be here.”
Before the Canes can think about their future in the series, they have to focus on the game ahead. The Canes will play the hometown Wisconsin Hitters after their first round loss to the Illinois Sparks. Mustain understands the importance of winning these early games as an opportunity to play on Saturday, on a nationally televised stage on ESPNU, would be huge for his program.
“It would be a great end to the summer,” Mustain said. “We have never been on this big of a stage on ESPN before so it would be awesome to spread our brand a little bit more and let our people back home and our fans see us on the national stage.”
The Canes will face off against the Hitters at 5 p.m. CST at Raiders Stadium on Aug. 5.
FINAL: Canes open up the 2021 Geico City Series with a big dub! We take this one 11-3!
Williams and Rodda led the offense today!
We’ll take on the Wisconsin Hitters tomorrow at 5:00 pm! #TheCanes pic.twitter.com/fWcgPQcj7A
— Canes Baseball (@TheCanesBB) August 5, 2021