Alpena dominates with back-to-back 13-3 wins over Sault Area on Saturday
News Photo by Leslianne Johns Owen Kaiser hits the ball during a baseball game on Saturday in Alpena. The Wildcats beat Sault Area in a doubleheader with back-to-back 13-3 wins.
News Photo by Leslianne Johns Brady Chapman prepares to hit the ball in a game against Sault Area on Saturday in Alpena. The Wildcats defeated the Blue Devils with back-to-back 13-3 wins.
News Photo by Leslianne Johns Camden McEwen runs to home plate in a baseball game on Saturday in Alpena. McEwen helped the Wildcats from the plate and the mound in the doubleheader against Sault Area.
News Photo by Leslianne Johns Owen Kaiser hits the ball during a baseball game on Saturday in Alpena. The Wildcats beat Sault Area in a doubleheader with back-to-back 13-3 wins.
News Photo by Leslianne Johns Brady Chapman prepares to hit the ball in a game against Sault Area on Saturday in Alpena. The Wildcats defeated the Blue Devils with back-to-back 13-3 wins.
News Photo by Leslianne Johns Camden McEwen runs to home plate in a baseball game on Saturday in Alpena. McEwen helped the Wildcats from the plate and the mound in the doubleheader against Sault Area.
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The Alpena Wildcats baseball team finished their Saturday doubleheader against Sault Area with a statement -- two dominant 13-3 victories powered by confident bats, solid defense, and consistent pitching.
Head coach Eric Mackenzie credited his team's aggressive approach and disciplined focus as key factors in the sweep.
"I think the kids were more aggressive today at the plate," Mackenzie said. "These were big confidence-boosting games, and we played well. I think playing one inning, one out, one batter at a time allowed us to focus on defense and make the plays when they presented themselves."
Alpena opened the day strong, notching 16 hits in the first game alone.
Clark Weir and Brady Chapman led the offense with matching three-for-three performances. Chapman crossed the plate three times, while Weir added two runs and an RBI.
Camden McEwen chipped in with two hits, two runs, and a pair of RBIs, and Jase Kollen went two-for-two with a run and an RBI.
On the mound, Colton Anderson, Connor Cameron, and McEwen combined to limit Sault Area to just four hits while striking out four in the first game.
The Wildcats stayed hot in game two, racking up 15 hits and holding Sault Area to just three.
McEwen and Kollen both went three-for-three again, continuing their stellar day at the plate.
Cameron drove in three runs, while Nathan Southard, Eli Tessmer, and Owen Kaiser each added a hit, a run, and an RBI.
Tessmer helped earned the win, striking out five before handing things over to Kollen, who struck out four and allowed just one hit in relief.
Across both games, Alpena totaled 26 runs on 31 hits and committed only two errors -- both in game one. Their pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts, keeping Sault Area's offense in check all afternoon.
The Wildcats continue today at 4 p.m., where they will play Cheboygan at home.