Ellingson’s off speed pitches kept the Tigers guessing

 
Spring – On a chilly Thursday night, senior right handed pitcher David Ellingson and relief pitcher Jacob Krzemien combined efforts to help College Park stun highly favored Klein Collins, 3-1 in game one of the best of three series in the first round of the playoffs at Tiger Field.
College Park (17-15) finished fourth in district 14-5A behind title leader, The Woodlands, will meet the Tigers at home with a chance to wrap up the series with a win.
Ellingson sprayed five hits over five and two third innings, with six strike outs, four walks and one run.
“I really needed to battle with first pitch strikes but I got behind in the count,” says Ellingson, but I came back with some nice curve balls in big situations.  That froze them up and that was a big part of my night; Throwing the curve ball for strikes. You want to make sure you mix it up real well against them.”
Off speed pitches, low and away, sprinkled with seldom curveballs was the perfect blind which kept the Tigers off balance.
Trying to find a pattern for consistency, Klein Collins was slowed by missed opportunities when it left the bases loaded in the third, fourth and sixth innings, which only produced one run.
“They capitalized on our mistakes and they put the ball in play and we uncharacteristically didn’t take care of business,” added Klein Collins coach Carlos Miguel.  We had a lazy situation, where our catcher threw the ball back to the pitcher and he didn’t react to it.  We didn’t execute on our opportunities. We didn’t get it done.”
The Cavaliers got on the board first after a leadoff double from Nate Fisbeck. Jayden Holding followed with a singled to center and Fisbeck scored, when Tigers’ catcher Jared Huber threw pasted second base, attempting to hold Holding from stealing second.
In the top of the sixth, College Park added two runs to build a 3-0 lead.  Ellingson, Tyler Vaughan and Holding had hits in the inning. Holdings’ RBI single down the third base line put the Cavaliers up 2-0 and a the third run cross the plate after Huber’s throw sail over pitcher Squarez head down near second base.
“Very big game tonight, it’s a great win,” Cavaliers coach Jason Washburn.  Anytime you can come up with a win on the road.  You go up one to nothing, you can go home feeling good about it, but there is still a lot of baseball left.”
Francisco Pena scattered four hits over four innings, two walks, one strike out and a run for the Tigers.
Junior Relief pitcher Chris Squarez took the loss, surrendered two runs, two walks, two strike outs and three hits.  Only one run was earned.
 
 

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