Mueller blasts pair of homers in Seniors win
He didn't want to feel that way again.
Mueller blasted a pair of majestic home runs in his next two times up to the plate in a 9-1 Columbus victory.
"Coach (
After watching a breaking ball flutter past him for a called strike three in his first visit to the plate, Mueller said he wasn't going to be fooled again.
"I was looking fastball middle-inside both times," he said. "The first one was right down the middle."
The occasion marked the first time in his entire baseball life Mueller had hit a pair of long balls in one game. In fact, he only hit two all of last season, ironically enough in back-to-back at-bats across two games.
Schilling was glad his clean-up man came through after failing in the first, he said.
"In that situation, I'm thinking that's exactly the guy we want up there," said Schilling. "He was looking for something he didn't get that first time, but came back and proved he wouldn't be fooled again."
Despite Mueller's early failure to come through, Columbus still plated a pair of runs in the first inning for a 2-0 lead.
After Mueller had gone down on strikes for the first out,
Schilling was happy with the early lead, but felt his team should've done better.
"When you have the bases loaded with no outs, you have an opportunity to put a crooked number on the board and blow it open early," he said. "We can have big innings if everyone is doing what they're supposed to do."
Still, the early advantage was all Morse needed once he returned to the mound in the top of the second, as the big right-hander would pitch a complete game for the victory, allowing only a third-inning run, which made the score 3-1 in favor of the home club.
However, that was before Mueller began his assault with a solo shot in the bottom of the third for a 4-1 lead, before adding a two-run blast the next inning for a 7-1 advantage.
Morse would then add an RBI double, making it 8-1 after four innings.
Columbus would then score its final run of the game an inning later when
"We ran the bases extremely well today," said Schilling. "It's the little things like that which can really get us on track as a team."
Schilling also praised Morse for another solid effort on the mound after scattering nine hits over seven innings, while striking out six with no bases-on-balls during a 98-pitch effort.
"Jacob has been awesome every game he's pitched this season," he said. "He did a great job staying in even when he fell behind in the count."
Morse's complete game was Columbus' fourth straight as a team, which also helps the entire staff, said Schilling.
"What that does is save arms," he said. "It's like old-school baseball where if you're slated to pitch the entire game, that's what you do."
Adding to Mueller's big day at the park was a shift from his usual third-base position to shortstop in the absence of starter
No worries, said Schilling, of the shift.
"Last season, Logan was our shortstop all year until he moved to third for us this season," he said. "He's been extremely unselfish."
Aedon Eckart filled in for Mueller at third and did a fine job, as well, said Schilling.
"Aedon had a couple tough chances over there today," he said. "But, he handled it well."
Uhlig also continued his rebirth as the Columbus leadoff man after being inserted into the top spot in Sunday's victory against
"Even since we've moved Alex there, he's done a great job," said Schilling. "I think he's back to someplace where he's comfortable."
As far as his two trips around the bases, Mueller was simply glad he could he contribute to the cause, he said.
"Awesome," said Mueller. "It just makes me happy to have my teammates to celebrate with."
Fullner was 3-for-3 on the day, while Uhlig, Morse and Novicki banged out a pair of hits apiece to round out the offensive attack.
Columbus (10-16) will next travel to
Scott Akanewich is the sports editor of
___
(c)2018 the Columbus Telegram (Columbus, Neb.)
Visit the Columbus Telegram (Columbus, Neb.) at www.columbustelegram.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Advisor News
Annuity News
Health/Employee Benefits News
Life Insurance News