Walter & Cudwadie lead Bulls to 3-2 win

Ryan Walter's complete-game gem & Mike Cudwadie's 2-run single in 6th forces Game 5.

By Steve Smull

    LIMEPORT -- Ryan Walter told Bulls' manager Pat Lane earlier in the season that he wanted to wait until July before he started pitching. Walter was nursing a shoulder injury this season and was doing a lot of rehab. Although he missed his targeted return by a few weeks, Walter was ready to make his 2010 debut on the mound.

    As the saying goes, "better late then never", as Walter was going to make his pitching debut in Game 4 of the Finals, with his Bulls facing elimination. But Lane was not about to worry about rust at this point of the season. He just wanted a healthy arm on the hill.

    It was exactly one year ago to the day since Walter pitched in a game of any kind.

    Ironically enough, the last time he pitched was also a Game 4 of a playoffs series at Limeport Stadium.

    On August 7, 2009, Walter took the hill for the Bulls in Game 4 of the semifinals with a chance to close out the Northern Yankees at Limeport Stadium. Walter kept his end of the bargain that night for Limeport as he scattered eight hits over 6-plus innings, allowing just one earned run.

    But Yankees' emergency starter Timmy Kay stole the show that night as he threw a complete-game two-hitter to beat the Bulls 3-0 to stave off elimination. The Yankees then eliminated the Bulls the following day.

    Also ironically enough, just as the Yankees had to use an emergency starting pitcher because their scheduled starter could not make the game on August 7, 2009, against Limeport, now Gabelsville's slated starter, Brock Laubenstine was unable to make Game 4 Saturday night and the Owls would have to use Shawn Betz as their emergency starter.

    So Betz was throwing on two days rest and Walter was throwing on 364 days rest.

    The stage was set. And the game turned out to be an instant classic.

    Walter scattered seven hits during a complete-game gem and Mike Cudwadie delivered a clutch two-run single in the bottom of sixth to lift the Bulls to a thrilling 3-2 win in Game 4 at Limeport Stadium to even the best-of-5 championship series at 2-2.

    "I had been throwing a lot on the side trying to get my arm back to where it should be," said Walter. "I have been throwing a lot of pens with my dad. I felt good out there tonight. Cudwadie's hit was huge. That gave me more energy and I was happy to take the mound in the seventh with the lead."

    It was the only lead the Bulls had and the only lead they would need during the game.

    The Owls struck first in the top of the second. Dan Pierce walked on five pitches and advanced to second on a bunt single by Mike Schwager and after the throw skipped away, Pierce scampered another 90 feet to third base. Brett Umstead then came up and ripped what looked like a sure hit up the middle. But Limeport skipper Pat Lane, doubling as a second-baseman the last two games, made a diving backhand stop. Lane then made a back-handed flip (while the ball was still in his glove) to Brian Ernst at short who then finished a nifty 4-6-3 double-play to get the speedy Umstead and prevent him from picking up an RBI as Pierce scored from third on the play. The Owls led 1-0, but saw a chance for a potential big inning go by the wayside.

    Limeport answered in their half of the second. Tyler Lehman singled to left and Justin Godusky lined a single to right-center. Lehman decided to challenge the strong arm of right-fielder Mike Schwager and take third base. Lehman barely made it as the throw took a high hop off the infield dirt. Godusky moved up to second, so the Bulls were in business with runners on second and third and nobody out. After a strikeout, Adam Ganser then grounded out to second to score Lehman and the game was tied at 1-1.

    Gabelsville got a rally going in the top of the fifth. Brandon Sullivan and Josh Martin both laid down perfect drag-bunt singles to start the frame to put runners on first and second with no outs. Ryan Zakszeski did the same thing he did in the top of the third, which was sacrifice both runners up 90 feet with no outs. In the third inning, Walter got out of the jam after the Zakszeski sacrifice with a pop-up and a ground-out. This time, he would have gotten out of the inning again, but a wild pitch to Jon Kalejta scored Sullivan and the Owls regained the lead 2-1.

    Walter retired seven of the last eight batters he faced. Now all he needed was a run.

    Or two.

    He would get them in the home half of the sixth.

    Ben Swatsky started the frame with a bloop single to center. After a fly-out, Lehman lined a single to right-center to put runners on first and second. Justin Godusky hit a slow grounder to short. Sullivan fielded it cleanly, threw to second, but the second-baseman either bobbled the ball or came off the base early for an error and the bases were now loaded with one out.

    Exit Betz. Enter Todd Stapleton.

    And up stepped Cudwadie to the plate, who faced Stapleton in Game 3. In Friday's at-bat, Cudwadie delivered a RBI single to left on an 0-2 pitch that made the score 9-2. On Saturday, however, the game was on the line with this at-bat.

    With Cudwadie's speed, the Owls' defense played in a bit, knowing it would be tough to double him up. Cudwadie tried two safety-squeeze attempts on the first two pitches and was in an 0-2 hole again. Two pitches later, Cudwadie lined a two-run single to left to give the Bulls a 3-2 lead and eventual win.

    "I wanted to get that safety squeeze down and tie the game," said Cudwadie. "After that didn't work, I knew I had to make contact and I got the good part of the bat on the ball and thankfully it went over [Sullivan's] head to score two."

    Cudwadie then gave props to Walter.

    "For Walter to go out and and do what he did for us tonight is absolutely outstanding," said Cudwadie. "He didn't pitch all year and then throws a complete game and gives up just two runs in an elimination game."

    "Walter threw a great game," echoed Lane. "The good thing about our team is our depth. We have pinch-runners and can use a lot of players in a lot of different ways."

    "We are just happy to playing [in Game 5] on Monday," said Cudwadie.

    The Bulls will send Matt Wiltrout to the mound Game 5 at 5:45 at Lee Mecherly Field in Gabelsville on Monday. Matt Danner is unsure who sill start for the Owls.

    Josh Martin was 3-for-4 and Brandon Sullivan was 2-for-3 for Gabelsville (29-9). Tyler Lehman was 3-for-3 and Ben Swatsky was 2-for-3 for Limeport (25-14).