NEW BLOOMFIELD - When asked to assess his team's play in Friday's season opener against the New Bloomfield Wildcats, Fulton Hornets head coach Darren Masek offered quick, high praise for the "outstanding" effort of his starter, senior Blake Thompson.
In a game where offense was sparse, Thompson's seven strikeouts over five innings proved crucial as the Hornets outlasted the Wildcats 2-0.
Thompson threw 76 pitches, scattering three hits while issuing two walks.
"He had total command of everything, he was always ahead in the count and kept his pitch count low," Masek said. "... He really cruised through the first three innings pretty easily and had to pitch out of some jams in the fourth and fifth, but he pitched outstanding overall."
Fulton junior second baseman Zach Franklin and sophomore catcher Isaiah Pani registered back-to-back, one-out singles in the top of the first to put early pressure on New Bloomfield junior starter Clay Jensen.
Looking to force the issue early, Masek called for a double-steal with Franklin and sophomore courtesy runner Josh Quick, who took Pani's place at first base. Masek made the call due to Jensen's slow, early-game delivery, something he would quicken in later innings to hold opposing runners at bay.
Masek's decision, though, was wasted when signals got crossed on the base paths, allowing the Wildcats to catch Franklin and Quick in respective rundowns to end the inning.
"We missed a sign on what should have been a double steal - one person didn't get the sign and that botched the whole play and we didn't handle that very well," Masek said.
Thompson allowed a one-out walk to New Bloomfield senior second baseman Sam Niedergerke in the bottom of the first, but used junior third baseman Tyler Fennewald's groundout to the catcher and a strikeout of senior center fielder Tucker Lane to retire the side.
Masek again showed aggressiveness with the Hornets' running game in the second, this time with productive results. Thompson led off with a four-pitch walk, then stole second.
After moving to third on junior third baseman Tristan Steffens' groundout to the pitcher, Thompson dashed home when Jensen's pitch - intended for Hornets junior catcher Trenton Clines - snuck past New Bloomfield junior catcher Derek Shikles.
Shikles led off the bottom of the second with a bloop single, but senior left fielder Brady Wiler's sharply-hit grounder was scooped up by sophomore shortstop Devin Masek and turned into a double play.
Senior first baseman Boyd Kempker followed with a two-out single, but Jensen struck out to keep the game 1-0.
Another passed ball accounted for Fulton's final run in the fourth. Pani doubled over Lane's head to start the inning and was replaced by Quick at second. Quick moved to third on a Thompson groundout, then scored when a Jensen pitch got past Shikles.
Despite the two passed balls, Jensen acquitted himself nicely in a complete-game effort. He gave up just five hits, struck out four and walked one.
"Clay Jensen threw the ball really well and the defense behind him played well for the most part," Wildcats head coach Justin Forsythe said. "We gave up two passed balls that cost us the game, but it's early and I knew coming in that our strong suit would be defense, and it will be all year."
Thompson was originally slated to go just three innings, but his efficient outing prompted Darren Masek to give him an extra two frames. Steffens relieved him in the sixth and froze Kempker on a 1-2 pitch to work out of a bases-loaded jam.
New Bloomfield junior shortstop Grant Nichols drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the seventh, but Steffens sat the next three hitters down in order to pick up the six-out save.
Steffens finished with four strikeouts, but worked around three walks and a New Bloomfield hit.
"He had some control issues; he had three walks in two innings and that's too many and he knows that," Masek said. "He's going to be fine. ... He kept his composure."
Pani finished 3-for-3 to guide the Hornets, while junior center fielder Alec Fleetwood was 1-for-2 and Franklin went 1-for-3.
Shikles finished 1-for-2 for the Wildcats, while Wiler and Niedergerke were both 1-for-3.
Fulton prevailed in the junior varsity game 6-0.
The Hornets open their home schedule with a pair of games Monday. Fulton takes on (Columbia) Battle at 1 p.m., then faces North Callaway at 5.
New Bloomfield stays home for a non-conference clash with Blair Oaks at 5 p.m. Monday.