SCHUYLKILL HAVEN - A patient approach at the plate paid off in positive results for Schuylkill Haven.
The Hurricanes mustered just three hits in Wednesday's Schuylkill League Division II clash with Nativity, but worked nine walks.
Those walks proved fruitful in the seventh inning, when two free passes and some wildness helped the Hurricanes seize a 4-3 victory over the Hilltoppers in an early-season battle of unbeatens.
Alec Bailey scampered home on a wild pitch with two outs in the seventh to score the winning run as Schuylkill Haven improved to 4-0.
"Our kids did a nice job at the plate being patient," Haven assistant coach Dennis Siket said. Siket guided the Hurricanes in the absence of veteran coach Scott Buffington, who missed the game due to illness.
"We saw in the warm-ups that the kid may have some difficulty throwing strikes ... Our kids picked up on that right from the beginning in the bullpen, and it seemed to carry through the game.
"I thought they did a nice job being patient. Maybe the hits weren't there, but we did the little things to get it done."
Schuylkill Haven (4-0, 2-0) had at least one baserunner in every inning, but couldn't come up with the big hit
against Nativity starter Collin McGovern and reliever Jeff Yordy.
The Hurricanes scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning on a sacrifice fly by Bailey and a throwing error, but went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and left eight runners on base the rest of the way.
McGovern pitched 4.1 innings, giving up two singles and the two first-inning runs, but walked six. He was helped by four defensive gems in center field by Yordy, including a diving grab of Zavier Webb's sinking liner to end the second inning.
"We need to do a better job of getting guys in," Siket said. "Through four games now, we've gotten a bunch of guys on, but we're struggling to get them in. I think our kids are learning how to get them in somehow.
"The last play, we got a guy over, and we got him in."
Nativity (2-1, 1-1) answered with single runs in the second, third and fifth innings to take a 3-2 lead. Andrew Belding's sacrifice fly plated the first run, while Kyle Kaledas delivered a pair of RBI singles to put the Hilltoppers in front.
After Yordy pitched out of a jam in the fifth, the Hurricanes tied it in the sixth when Mike Ulsh singled, pinch runner Tyler Browne moved up on two wild pitches, then scored on Webb's sacrifice fly.
It was a similar scenario in the seventh, as Bailey and Blayne Moyer drew one-out walks. After pinch-hitter Brad Fryer moved up the runners with a groundout, Yordy's first pitch to Nick Behm skipped past catcher Aric Foster, and Bailey scampered home with the winning run.
The wild pitch came immediately after Nativity assistant coach Tony Horney went to the mound to talk to Yordy, and his teammates worked on grooming the mound to the pitcher's liking.
"That was the game plan. Keep the game close and bring in Jeff. It just didn't work out," Nativity coach Chris Polm said. "Give credit to Schuylkill Haven. They put the ball in play and drew a couple of walks.
"Going into the season, nine walks in a game really wasn't part of the agenda. But that's baseball."
Nativity collected four hits off winning pitcher Danny Blugis, who struck out seven and walked two in a complete-game, 89-pitch effort. The junior right-hander kept the ball down in the zone and consistently pitched ahead in the count, keeping a potent Hilltoppers lineup off-balance.
"Danny gave us a tremendous effort," Siket said. "He's a great kid, we gave him the ball and we had all the confidence in the world that he could get the job done."