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KIRKLAND – Martin Ledbetter wasn’t expecting to be pitched to with two on and two out in a one-run game against Hiawatha on Tuesday.
The Hinckley-Big Rock slugger made the most of his opportunity, blasting the ball over the fence in straightaway center field. It gave the Royals a bigger cushion in a 16-1 win in five innings over the Hawks to sweep the Little Ten Conference series.
“I was actually very surprised,” Ledbetter said. “I was expecting a walk, like almost every time. But I’m very glad they did pitch to me.”
Hiawatha (6-9, 2-6 LTC) starter Thomas Giebel allowed two hits and two runs in the first, only one of which was earned. He retired the first two batters in the second, including his second strikeout of the game.
But he walked No. 9 hitter Austin Roop and leadoff hitter Skyler Janeski, who pitched a no-hitter and hit three home runs in a 16-0 win over the Hawks on Monday.
Giebel got ahead 0-2 to Ledbetter, but after a ball the slugger crushed his home run, pushing the lead to 5-1.
“I told my guys out there the thought did cross my mind and pitching to their three hitter [Travis Herrmann] instead,” Hiawatha assistant coach Jake Kenyon said. “In retrospect I do wish it was something I would have done. Would it have changed the outcome of the game? Probably not. They were hitting the ball kind of all over, and I think they would have gotten their runs regardless.”
Ledbetter also was the starting pitcher for the Royals (9-9-1, 6-2). He allowed an unearned run in the first when Giebel singled, moved up on a wild pitch, then scored when a hard-hit ball to deep right off the bat of Tommy Butler was misplayed.
Ledbetter struck out Aidan Cooper to end the inning, the first of eight strikeouts in a row. By the time Butler snapped the streak, the Royals were up 11-1 in the bottom of the fourth.
“It’s awfully easy to look good in the field when we’ve had the pitching of Janeski and Ledbetter,” Hinckley-Big Rock coach Greg Jourdan said. “We just need that confidence with the bats. It’s confidence. I’m seeing that come.”
Ledbetter pitched four innings, struck out eight, walked one and allowed one unearned run. Luke Badal pitched a 1-2-3 fifth with a pair of strikeouts. He was 3 for 4 with four RBIs and three runs.
Janeski and Orin each added two of Hinckley-Big Rock‘s 12 hits. Herrmann drove in three and scored twice. Colten Sargent added a pair of RBIs.
“For four years Martin has been a spark plug for us,” Jourdan said. “When he goes on those big shots, all the pitches look a little bigger to the next batter. He inspires a lot of these guys.”
The Hawks had won two straight and six of their last 10 coming into the game. They face Schaumburg Christian on Friday before Little Ten play resumes next week against Earlville.
Kenyon said even though the scores in the two games don’t show it, he was more pleased with how the game went Tuesday than on Monday.
“Considering they’re throwing their top dog and we were no-hit yesterday, I was concerned seeing how the guys would react to seeing Martin,” said Kenyon, filling in for head coach and brother Steve Kenyon, who was sick. “I was really pleased after they went up 2-0 we scrapped across a run. That showed a lot of fight. ... Even though the score doesn’t necessarily show it, I’m proud of how our guys fought today.”