ON A DAY WHERE THE CODY CUBS HONOR THEIR SENIORS JARED GRENZ LIVED OUT EVERY CHILDHOOD BASEBALL DREAM AS GRENZ STEPPED TO THE DISH WITH 2 OUTS AND THE BASES LOADED IN THE BOTTOM OF THE 9TH INNING AND CRUSHED A WALK OFF GRAND SLAM TO GIVE THE CODY CUBS THE 13-9 WIN OVER THE INTERNATIONAL COLTS THURSDAY NIGHT.
IF YOU MISSED IT HERE’S THE CALL:
AFTER THE GAME I CAUGHT UP WITH GRENZ AND HE TALKS ABOUT HIS MINDSET COMING TO BAT.
“THE TEAM DID A REALLY GOOD JOB OF GETTING EVERYONE ON BASE AND MAKING IT REALLY EASY AND JUST KNOWING I HAVE TO PUT THE BALL IN PLAY AND HOPING THAT’D IT FALL.”
AND DID IT EVER FALL, RIGHT OVER THE LEFT CENTER FIELD FENCE. JARED GOES ON TO TALK ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE PLAYING AGAINST THIS INTERNATIONAL SQUAD BETTERS THEM DOWN THE STRETCH.
“JUST KNOWING WE CAN PLAY AT THAT HIGH LEVEL. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STAY HUMBLE, AND KEEP OUR AT BATS GOING GOOD AND OUR PITCHERS THROWING STRIKES.”
CHANCE MOSS PICKED UP THE WIN FOR THE CUBS COMING INTO THE GAME WITH 1 OUT IN THE TOP OF THE 8TH INNING AND WOULD PROCEED TO THROW 1.2 INNINGS PITCHED WHILE WALKING ONE BATTER.
CHANCE ON WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH HIS HEAD ENTERING THE TIE GAME.
“AGAINST A TEAM LIKE THIS YOU DON’T WANT TO OVERTHROW BUT YOU ALSO WANT TO TRY TO THROW IT PAST THEM. SO MY GOAL WAS GOAL WAS JUST TO THROW IT IN THERE AND LET THEM HIT IT.”
MEANWHILE, CUBS HEAD COACH BART GRENZ TOUCHES ON THE IMPACT CHANCE HAS MADE ON THE TEAM THIS SEASON.
“WHEN WE GO TO TAKE ETHAN OUT IT WAS LIKE ‘HEY LETS GO WITH CHANCE.’ HE HAD BEEN IN THE DUGOUT, HE HAD WARMED UP. HE SAID HE WAS READY TO GO AND WE THREW HIM OUT THERE. HE CAME UP HUGE FOR US ON THE MOUND. EVERY DAY HE COMES OUT, HE WORKS HARD. WE FEEL LIKE HE’S GETTING A LOT BETTER. WE’RE GAINING TRUST IN HIM AND HE’S GAINING TRUST IN US WITH WHAT WE DO. I THINK WE SAW THAT COME TOGETHER TONIGHT. IT WAS JUST A GREAT, GREAT JOB FOR HIM AND A GREAT JOB THAT HE GAVE US.”
THE CUBS WOULD OPEN UP THE SCORING EARLY ON, LEADING 4-0 AFTER THE FIRST INNING OF PLAY HIGHLIGHTED BY A GRADY MCARTEN 2-OUT, 2-RBI SINGLE AND WOULD TACK ON 3 MORE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE SECOND.
HOWEVER, THE INTERNATIONAL COLTS WOULD NOT BACK DOWN AS THEY PROCEEDED TO SCORE THE GAMES NEXT 9-RUNS WHICH WAS CAPPED OFF BY A LUKE PORTER 3-RUN HOME RUN BLAST IN THE 6TH INNING.
CODY WOULD FIND THEMSELVES DOWN 9-7 ENTERING THE BOTTOM OF THE 7TH INNING AND DEVYN ENGDAHL WOULD LEAD OFF WITH A SINGLE AND COME AROUND TO SCORE ON A MCCARTEN SACRIFICE BUNT. JACKSON SCHROEDER AFTER WALKING WAS HIT HOME FROM A CODY PHILLIPS SINGLE AND THE SCORE REMAINED TIED UNTIL THE BOTTOM OF THE NINTH. CHANCE MOSS GOT THINGS GOING IN THE FINAL FRAME WITH A SWINGING BUNT AND WOULD ADVANCE TO SECOND ON AN ERRANT THROW. HAYDEN BRONNENBERG MOVED HIM OVER WITH A SINGLE, CODY PHILLIPS DREW A WALK AND TWO BATTERS LATER GRENZ WOULD DIG IN AND AS THEY SAY, THE REST IS HISTORY.
CHANCE GOES ON TO TALK ABOUT HIS APPROACH AT THE DISH.
“JUST TO PUT THE BALL IN PLAY. THAT WAS MY GOAL AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.”
AND CHANCE TALKS ABOUT HIS MINDSET DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
“JUST NEED TO REMEMBER TO MAKE THE MOST OUT OF THE OPPORTUNITIES I’M GIVEN.”
COACH GRENZ GOES ON TO TALK ABOUT THE TEAMS MINDSET AS THEY LOOK TO CLOSE OUT REGULAR SEASON PLAY.
“WE HAVE THE THREE GAMES LEFT. WE PLAY TWO IN JACKSON FRIDAY. WE JUST PICKED UP A GAME WITH MERIDIAN IDAHO OVER THERE. SO WE’RE GOING TO PLAY THEM IN THE FIRST GAME, JACKSON IN THE SECOND GAME. WE NEED TO SEE HOW THAT GOES, THEN GET BACK TO TOWN. DRIVE TO SHERIDAN FOR ONE, FOR A SINGLE GAME (SUNDAY). THEN ON SUNDAY, AFTER SUNDAY, WE’LL TAKE SOME REST MONDAY AND TUESDAY AND THEN START LOOKING TOWARD POST SEASON PLAY.”
WITH THE WIN THE CODY CUBS IMPROVE TO 32-15 ON THE SEASON.
UP NEXT FOR THE CUBS, THEY’RE ON THE ROAD FRIDAY FOR A DOUBLE HEADER AT JACKSON BEGINNING AT 1PM AND TRAVEL TO SHERIDAN FOR A SINGLE GAME SUNDAY TO CLOSE OUT THE REGULAR SEASON.
