By JOHN BOHNENKAMP
Ian Wolski traveled a long way to make an impact in his first game with the Burlington Bees.
The catcher from Hawaii Pacific was involved in plenty of key moments, and certainly one quirky moment, in the Bees’ 10-8 win over the Quincy Gems in Wednesday’s Prospect League season opener at Community Field.
Wolski had a three-run home run in the Bees’ five-run first inning and threw out two baserunners on inning-ending plays.
“It was amazing,” Wolski said. “All I can ask for — home run, throwing guys out. I did my job and I’m proud of that.”
Wolski’s first game impressed Bees manager Owen Oreskovich.
“He’s a competitive kid,” Oreskovich said. “He worked his tail off the whole game today, and I greatly appreciate that from him. I’m excited for the summer with that kid, absolutely.”
Wolski, who hit .357 in his freshman season at Hawaii Pacific, delivered one of the first big hits of the season for the Bees, who took advantage of early wildness from Quincy starting pitcher Peyton Clampitt.
Clampitt walked Connor Laeng to open the inning, then hit Jaden Hackbarth with a pitch. Mason Schwalbach’s double scored Laeng, then Keanu Spenser was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Brandon Bickford’s sacrifice fly gave the Bees a 2-0 lead with Wolski coming up.
Wolski got a 2-2 fastball from Clampitt, and sent it out over the left-field wall.
“With that count, I was just looking to put something in play,” Wolski said. “It made an impact on the crowd, which was what we wanted to do.”
That inning had the Bees in control for the rest of the game.
“I think it set the tone very well for the guys, especially the guys who didn’t get to play a lot this year,” Oreskovich said. “The nerves with some of the guys, you could see it in their face at the beginning of the game. After that, it was basically like, ‘OK, I can breathe. I’m good to go.’”
The Gems had runners in scoring position in all but one inning, and the Bees always seemed a way to stop the traffic.
Wolski was involved in ending two of those innings, throwing out Quincy’s Jimmy Koza trying to steal second base in the fourth inning, and throwing out Lucas Loos on a steal attempt of third in the eighth.
“He’s got a hose on him back there,” Oreskovich said.
Wolski, who grew up in Rancho Cucamonga, California, was a teammate this season of pitcher Steven Escarcega, who played for the Bees last season.
“Our coach knew it was a good program here,” Wolski said. “So here I am.”
Wolski was also involved in one of the night’s strangest plays, when his bat came apart when he struck out swinging in the fourth inning. Wolski was left holding the knob of the bat, and walked back to the dugout looking at it, trying to figure out what happened.
“That’s never happened to me,” he said, laughing. “I don’t know if there was something broken inside of it, but I didn’t see a crack or anything.”
Jaden Siemer was the winning pitcher and Adrian Nery got the save in a game in which the Bees used five pitchers.
Starting pitcher Rem Maxwell gave up three hits and four walks in three innings. Siemer and Nery each threw two innings. Ryan Donley and Nick Tampa each threw one.
“That wasn’t actually the plan, but it turned out that way,” Oreskovich said, noting the Bees gave up 12 walks and hit two batters. “We’re going to have to limit the free bases.”
It was a good way to start the season, Wolski said.
“It’s all up from here,” he said.
NOTES: The Gems didn’t arrive at the ballpark until 45 minutes before the first pitch. The team bus left Quincy at 2:30 p.m., but during the 70-mile trip the bus twice had to stop for mechanical issues. … The Bees had just eight hits. Tanner Holland was the only Burlington hitter with two hits. … Attendance was 1,801.
UP NEXT: The Bees play host to the Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Jacob Zahner, a Burlington High School graduate, will be the starting pitcher for the Bees.
Photo: Bees catcher Ian Wolski watches his first-inning home run. (Steve Cirinna/Burlington Bees)
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