Ball jumps off Connor Goedert's bat

Connor Goedert is feeling comfortable in his new surroundings.

The young baseball player, who moved from Concordia about a month ago, is starting to display his total game on the diamond.

Goedert smashed two home runs, his fourth and fifth big flies of the American Legion AA baseball season, to spark Ottawa to a 9-1 victory Tuesday in the nightcap over Silver Lake at Harvey M. Drake Field at the Orlis Cox Sports Complex, K-68 and Beech Street.

Ottawa pounded 14 hits in the 10-3 first-game victory.

Goedert, who will be a sophomore this fall at Ottawa High School, cracked a grand slam in Ottawa’s six-run third inning and ended the game with a solo shot in the fifth inning.

“I have found my groove,” Goedert said. “Seeing it and hitting is my big deal. I feel a lot more relaxed. You have to get a few hits under your belt.”

Goedert knew what was coming in the third inning. He said in his first plate appearance, the first pitch was a fastball and he expected the same. It was.

Right where Goedert could extend his arms and rip the ball. It rocketed out of the park.

The second home run also came off a fastball and was a no-doubter.

“When you hit it on the right spot, you can tell,” he said. “It felt very good [coming off the bat]. I have more focus at the plate.”

Ottawa coach Shawn Herrmann said Goedert is starting to feel at home with his new teammates and the results are following.

“They come and hit together,” Herrmann said. “He is swinging at pitches he can drive. He is aggressive. He has not come close to his potential.”

Older brother Corbin Goedert continued his torrid hitting. He nailed an RBI double in the first inning of the opener and cracked his fifth home run of the season in the third inning.

Those two RBIs give him close to 30 this summer in 20 games. He is also hitting over .460. He scored four runs in the doubleheader.

Ottawa, which is hitting close to .360 as a team this summer, could not be slowed down much.

Ottawa had six extra base hits in the first game, including two home runs.

Blake Hiatt broke through with his first home run of the Legion season, a three-run shot in the six-run sixth inning.

Ottawa had four extra base hits, three of which were home runs, in the nightcap. Chase Dengel ripped a two-run shot in the first inning.

Herrmann said the Ottawa hitters are wearing out opposing pitching staffs.

“We are not swinging at pitches out of the zone,” Herrmann said. “We are making other team’s pitching look bad. We are putting together all three aspects.”

Ottawa continues to shine defensively and the pitchers are making big pitches in certain situations.

In the opener, Chase Dengel pitched four innings, giving up five hits and three runs. Curtis Clayton, who went the final three innings, had just two runners reach base.

In the nightcap, Jake Moore tossed a three-hitter and finished with nine strikeouts.

Herrmann mixed and matched his lineup in both games, moving players around.

The coach said he likes the flexibility of the players.

Clayton and Hiatt can play about anywhere on the diamond.

Devin Martin can move from the outfield to the infield.

The Goedert brothers have the ability to play the infield and outfield.

Blake Firestone catches and plays infield.

“I love coaching this team,” Herrmann said. “I have 12 guys that want to be here. They are so unselfish.”

Ottawa (20-0) plays 6 p.m. today at home against Rock Creek.

Greg Mast can be reached at sports@ottawaherald.com. Comment on this story at ottawaherald.com.