MEQUON, Wis (WYATT BAUMEYER). \u2014 Beckett Zavorek stepped onto Moonlight Graham Field as a Chinook for the first time Sunday afternoon, and the Arizona State infielder made his presence felt from the very first pitch.<\/p>\n
After reaching base on a two-out single in the first inning, Zavorek created havoc on the bases, stealing both second and third before scoring on an errant throw by Fond du Lac pitcher Colton Angell. There is no doubt the Chinooks\u2019 shortstop single-handedly created the first of 10 Lakeshore runs en route to a 10-6 victory over the Dock Spiders.<\/p>\n
Lakeshore Chinooks\u2019 manager Mikel Moreno said it wasn\u2019t a coincidence the team had arguably its best offensive performance with Zavorek in the lineup.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe delivered with great at-bats, with running the bases and while playing defense,\u201d Moreno said.<\/p>\n
Zavorek\u2019s two-hit, two-stolen base effort came after the shortstop arrived late Saturday night. Moreno said he texted Zavorek around 10:30 p.m., telling him he\u2019d be playing shortstop and hitting third in less than 12 hours.<\/p>\n
Beckett\u2019s reply, \u201cSounds like a \u2018Nooks win.\u201d<\/p>\n
With Zavorek, the Chinooks are getting a player who isn\u2019t afraid to make mistakes, mistakes such as getting thrown out at third base — something that happened to Zavorek on Sunday.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou gotta fail to know what you can and can\u2019t do,\u201d Zavorek said. \u201cI know my limits, and I will be ready for the future.\u201d<\/p>\n
When Zavorek didn\u2019t manufacture chaos on the field, second baseman Tyler Preece delivered in the clutch with multiple two-out hits with runners in scoring position.<\/p>\n
Preece had huge two-out RBI in the sixth and seventh, fueling the Chinooks’ seven runs in the final four innings.<\/p>\n
Preece\u2019s ability to remain calm in such high-leverage situations stood out.<\/p>\n
\u201cI’m enjoying the moment and not putting pressure on myself anymore,\u201d Preece said. \u201cI\u2019ve been in a few of these moments before, and I\u2019m just enjoying every bit of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Preece\u2019s adjustments at the plate have led to his clutch plate production as of late, Moreno said.<\/p>\n
Preece said since he is one of the team\u2019s oldest players, his ability to remain calm during dire moments translates to the entire team.<\/p>\n
A team that saw every starter reach base, and every player recorded a hit besides second baseman Esteban Garcia. The Lakeshore offense mashed 10 hits \u2013 though only one extra base \u2013 against the Dock Spider pitching staff, a staff that held the Chinooks to just 22 hits over the three previous games.<\/p>\n
However, it wasn’t just the offense that contributed to the Chinooks’ victory.<\/p>\n
Left-handed pitcher Chance Covert made his Chinooks\u2019 debut Sunday and showed why he attended the University of Texas, a consensus top 5 baseball program in the nation.<\/p>\n
Covert allowed three runs in four innings, including a pair of walks and a single strike-out. If not for a rain-soaked third inning, Covert worked a very impressive outing for a pitcher who had not thrown in a meaningful game in over a year.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a little nerve-wracking at first, but I used that as fuel,\u201d Covert said.<\/p>\n
Instead of using the poor, rainy conditions as an excuse, Covert took ownership of his mistakes on the mound.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think I got a bit tired out there and started overthinking,\u201d Covert said about his three-run third inning. \u201cBut I got back to my roots and just forgot about it.\u201d<\/p>\n
The left-hander’s debut impressed Moreno, especially on a day when most pitchers wouldn\u2019t dare take the mound.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s gonna be a really good one for us,\u201d Moreno said.<\/p>\n
On a day where many individual players stood out, catcher Jack Kleveno’s effort flew under the radar.<\/p>\n
The catcher reached base four times, including a double and two walks. Add three RBI and two runners caught stealing, and Kleveno had himself quite the day.<\/p>\n
Riding momentum across the diamond, the Chinooks welcome in the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters for a second time Monday at 6:35 p.m. Right-hander Nate Gray, who recently committed to BYU, will start for the Chinooks.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
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