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The work paid off in a big way for Coron and Cotter High School’s baseball team, helping lead the way to a 7-3 victory over Onalaska in a nonconference game.
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Cotter High School's Andy Wolfe hits a single during their game Saturday against Onalaska High School at Cotter Field. The Ramblers beat the Hilltoppers 7-3. (Photo by Fred Schulze/Winona Daily News) |
Coron came through with a two-out, run-scoring double in the sixth inning that broke a 3-3 tie.
“It was a good way to break out of a slump,” Coron said. “The team needed me and I was able to step up.”
It was a long time coming for Coron, a starter in left field the past three seasons for the Ramblers. He came into the game batting less than .200 this season.
“To tell you the truth, I don’t know what it is,” he said. “I’m just not getting it done, but this morning we fixed some things in the cage and it worked.”
The double to the gap in left-center field was the second hit for Coron. His first was a grounder off third base in the second that helped keep alive an inning in which the Ramblers scored three runs.
In his other at-bat, Coron lined hard to shortstop. He finished 2-for-3 with an RBI.
“He has been struggling a little bit, but the positive thing is he’s been putting it in play,” Cotter coach Mat O’Brien said. “You’re just hoping one would fall eventually for him. That was a huge hit for us.”
Tommy Mullen followed Coron’s infield hit in the second with a bloop single that tied the game 1-1.
Steven Tofstad reached on an error to keep the inning alive and Andy Wolfe followed with a two-run single for a 3-1 lead.
Beau Brackey and Tofstad drew walks following Coron’s double in the sixth and all three scored on a double by Wolfe, who finished 2-for-4 with five RBIs.
“I’m definitely more confident at the plate this year,” said Wolfe, who’s hitting around .500 for the Ramblers. “I’ve never really been that confident, but as seniors people are (looking) to us. There’s no better time.”
The win came at a good time for the Ramblers, who lost games Thursday and Friday to La Crescent.
Cotter (5-8) will play two games Monday, starting at Triton before finishing a suspended game at Kasson-Mantorville.
The Ramblers also are home Tuesday for a doubleheader against Hayfield, play at Stewartville on Thursday and are home Friday against Goodhue.
“We do have a lot of games, but I kind of like it,” O’Brien said. “We’re trying to figure things out and you can get in a rhythm playing every day.”
David Miller picked up the win in relief, pitching 12/3 scoreless innings. Mullen started and allowed six hits and three earned runs in 5 1/3 innings.
