After their season opener against Wabaunsee last Monday was canceled due to rain, the Onaga High School baseball team was in action for the first time on Monday of this week when it welcomed Riverside/Doniphan West to town. The two schools are cooperating this year, forming a 3A team that posed a formidable challenge for the opener.
Onaga got things started in the first inning when Josh Marten drove in the first of his team-leading four RBIs in the game to give the Buffaloes a 1-0 lead. Onaga then blew things open, thanks to a timely eight runs in a big second inning. Offense in the inning was led by sophomore Christian Henneberg, juniors Zac Fisher and Colby Simkins, and seniors Jason Abitz, Marten, and Rilyn Mayginnes, all who knocked in runs in the inning.
Fisher led the Buffaloes on the mound, allowing four hits and one run over three and two-thirds innings, striking out six and walking one. Henneberg threw one and one-third innings in relief out of the bullpen. All of Onaga’s pitchers were on a strict 60 pitch limit so that, according to KSHSAA’s pitch count rules, they are all available on Thursday when Onaga plays again.
Ryder Davis took the loss for Riverside/Doniphan West, lasting just one inning while allowing three hits and eight runs.
Marten led Onaga at the plate in the first game with two hits in three at bats, four RBIs, and a run scored. The Buffaloes didn't commit a single error in the field. Simkins had six chances in the field, the most on the team.
Onaga ended up with a 12-1 win in the first game with it ending after just four and a half innings thanks to KSHSAA’s run rule.
While the first game was an exciting way to start the season, Onaga knew that Trent Spiker was waiting in the second game. The senior from Doniphan West was the best pitcher that the Buffaloes faced in 2021 and they knew they’d be in for a battle.
Riverside/Doniphan West opened up scoring in the first inning when senior Kole Franken hit a solo homer off of Colby Simkins to give them an early 1-0 lead. But the Buffaloes tied it right back up in the bottom half of the inning when Marten once again knocked in the first run of the game on a single to left that scored Zac Fisher.
Simkins and Spiker both pitched scoreless innings in the second, then Simkins followed that up with a scoreless third before the Buffalo offense started shelling Spiker. Onaga knocked in seven runs in the third and pulled away for good. Jason Abitz led off the inning with a first-pitch double, freshman Jackson Kolterman singled, then sophomore Rayce Fisher was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Rilyn Mayginnes walked in the first run of the inning, then sophomore Hunter Lamond was hit by a pitch to score another. Then, with a 3-1 lead, junior Zac Fisher tripled on a 1-1 count, scoring three runs, and Simkins followed that up with a single on a 2-2 count, scoring one run. He would later score on a wild pitch to make it 8-1 after three innings.
Simkins led the Onaga to victory on the hill. The righthander surrendered one run on two hits over three and two-thirds innings, striking out five and walking just one. Jason Abitz and Jackson Kolterman entered the game out of the bullpen and helped to close it out in relief as the Buffaloes went on to win the game 11-3.
Spiker took the loss for Riverside/Doniphan West. He went two and two-thirds innings, allowing eight runs on seven hits and striking out five.
Onaga tallied ten hits in the game. Lamond, Fisher, and Simkins all managed multiple hits, and the Buffaloes were sure-handed in the field once again and didn't commit a single error. Christian Henneberg had the most chances in the field with seven. Simkins led Onaga with four stolen bases, as the team ran wild on the base paths with nine stolen bases in the game.