Commerce Bank’s late rally falls short against VFW

In the end, time just simply ran out for Commerce Bank against VFW on Tuesday night in Intermediate League play at JayCee Ballpark.
Commerce had started to rally, down 8-2 going into the fifth inning when they struck for five runs, but only scored one run in the sixth to fall 9-8 in six innings.
“We did not play well enough early and let the game get away from us,” said Commerce Bank head coach Jeff Elliott. “Time ran out for us coming back.”
VFW got help by way of a five-run second inning to take a 6-0 lead.
Derek Beck led off the inning by reaching on an error by Commerce outfielder Charlie Hensley. Ashton Hoskins followed with a walk then Chris Smith was hit by a Jordan Elliott pitch. Beck scored on a wild pitch and Hoskins crossed home on a throwing error by Jordan Elliott on an attempted pick-off play.
Nate Grimaldi reached on a fielder’s choice and Jordan Smith smacked an RBI double to left field. Smith later scored the fifth run of the inning on a throwing error by catcher Matt Clark.
“The bottom of the lineup got on base and we turned the lineup over and I thought we did a nice job of running the bases in that inning and putting pressure on them that way,” said VFW head coach Gary Grimaldi. “The top of our lineup did their job and we were able to put up those runs and get a nice lead.”
That seemed enough for VFW starting pitcher Smith who only allowed two runs — all in the third inning — over four innings of work.
“I told the kids that you can’t give them more than three outs otherwise it will come back to get you,” Jeff Elliott said. “The second inning hurt us because we gave them some extra outs but we hung in there and sometimes you can pull it out when you do that.”
Commerce scored those runs in the third when Nick Wuerdeman slapped a single to right and Clark reached on a fielding error by Brandon Smith at first base. Clark proceeded to steal second and third as Wuerdeman stole home then Clark scored on a throwing error by VFW catcher Zach Smith.
VFW tacked on one run in each of the third and fourth innings then Commerce found some offense in the fifth.
With one out, Clark was hit by a pitch then Jordan Elliott was hit by a pitch. Austin Haake reached on a fielder’s choice as Clark scored on an errant throw by the VFW catcher.
Drew Mattson hit a single to left and moved all the way around to third on a throwing error by left fielder Taylor Thomas — that also scored Elliott and Haake.
Mattson crossed home plate on a wild pitch and Spencer Bernhardt reached on a walk and stole second, then later scored on a passed ball to make the score 8-7.
“We had some defensive lapses and they had a couple of nice hits but Ryan Russian did a nice job of hanging in there with some adversity and did a nice job of closing out the game even when they closed it up,” Gary Grimaldi said. “It would have been easy to just let it go.”
In the sixth, after holding VFW scoreless and down just two runs, Wuerdeman rached on an error and scored on another error then Haake smacked a hard shot straight to first baseman Chris Smith who lept up and made the grab for the final out of the game.
“Chris made a good play and Austin made good contact on the ball,” Jeff Elliott said. “That happens but we dug ourselves too big of a hole early.”
For VFW, Jordan Smith went 3-for-3 with two doubles, a single, one RBI and two runs scored.
“He has hit that way all year,” Gary Grimaldi said. “He is our best hitter and that is why he bats third. He does not get cheated and he swings hard and he has been a nice addition for us over our three games.”

JL Hutchinson baseball
Intermediate League
VFW 9, Commerce Bank 8, 6 innings
VFW        151 110 — 9 7 7
Commerce    002 051 — 8 2 4
VFW: Chris Smith, Ryan Russian and Zach Smith. Commerce Bank: Jordan Elliott, Matt Clark (2), Austin Haake (5) and Matt Clark, Austin Haake (2), Charlie Hensley (4). WP — Smith. LP — Elliott. E — VFW: Zach Smith 3, Brandon Smith, Taylor Thomas, Chris Smith 2. Commerce Bank: Matt Clark 2, Charlie Hensley, Austin Haake. LOB — VFW 7, Commerce Bank 7. 2B — VFW: Jordan Smith 2.