| Hayes’ UC departure won’t sadden Marion | By: By KENNETH COKER, Messenger Sports Reporter
| Posted: Monday, June 15, 2009 3:45 pm
| 
Drew Hayes follows through during the Greyhounds’ win on Sunday. | | | Drew Hayes left a lasting impression on Sunday in his second and final start for the Union City Greyhounds.
Hayes, who was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 22nd round of the Major League Baseball amateur draft last week, was nearly untouchable in a 4-2 triumph over the Marion Bobcats, tossing eight innings and allowing just one hit.
The next move for the McKenzie High School product and current Vanderbilt hurler is one up north to the Cape Cod League in Massachusetts.
After the game, Hayes told The Messenger that he planned to leave for the league on Thursday or Friday.
Whether Hayes would depart the Cape Cod scene at some point for his chance in the professional ranks is still up in the air, but the now ex-Greyhound may have his scales tipped in favor of a return to Vanderbilt for his senior campaign next spring.
“Right now, with the expectations for the round I was picked in, I’m leaning toward going back to school,” Hayes, a secondary education and English major, told The Messenger after the game.
Whatever the case, class was definately in session on Sunday evening.
Hayes struck out 10 Marion batters to finish with 16 innings pitched, 22 strikeouts and 5 hits allowed in his two Kitty League starts.
“Drew came in throwing strikes and that gave us a good chance to win,” Greyhounds’ head coach Mike Gilner said after the game. “When you’ve got a guy throwing that well, you don’t need to score a lot of runs to win.
“That said, our offense did get some clutch hits and we didn’t concede the third out.”
Union City’s first string of key hits came with one out in the first inning.
Second baseman Keith Depew singled and Brian Yueng followed suit with a safety of his own.
With two on and one out, right fielder Cade Hoggard smacked a grounder to the third baseman for what could have been a textbook double play.
However, an errant throw to second base allowed everyone to advance safely and Depew to score the Greyhounds’ first run.
The next Union City tally came in the home half of the third canto.
In that inning, Daniel Volk bounced a single high over the third baseman’s head and came across on Yueng’s second single of the evening to put UC up 2-0.
The final two ’Hound tallies came in the sixth inning.
First baseman Jon Ivie, who pitched the ninth to earn the save, doubled with two outs and was driven home on a Justin Guidry single to center field.
Guidry, who advanced to second as an attempt to get Ivie out at the plate was made, scored the fourth and final Union City run when shortstop Robert Lawrence singled.
With the win, UC improves to 6-8 on the campaign.
Tonight’s scheduled home game against the Fulton Raildroaders has been postponed and will be made up as part of a Tuesday twinbill slated to begin at 5:30.
SATURDAY
Marion 4, Union City 2
The Greyhounds led 2-1 until the top of the seventh when the Bobcats struck for three runs to tilt the game in their favor.
DePew was the only UC player with a multi-hit game, finishing the defeat 2-for-4, while Hoggard accounted for the team’s only extra-base hit.
On the mound, losing pitcher Michael Wills was hit up for eight hits and three runs (two earned) in 61/3 innings of work.
Bobcats’ starter Nathan Ball got the win, throwing six innings and striking out eight.
FRIDAY
Union City 6, Marion 3
The top five batters in the UC lineup accounted for six of the team’s total eight hits during Friday night’s triumph.
Volk, the leadoff man, was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and one driven in.
Meanwhile, Greyhounds’ designated hitter Dustin Phelps had two RBI.
On the mound, Guidry started for UC and lasted 52/3 innings with six strikeouts.
Kevin Henry, who struck out four in 21/3 innings of relief work, gained the triumph for the Greyhounds.
Sports reporter Kenneth Coker can be contacted by e-mail at kcoker@ucmessenger.com. | | | | |
