HOWARD – East Knox baseball coach Randy Baugher agonized over who he was going to start in their Division IV district semifinal game against Cardington on Monday, May 24.
He ended up going with his ace, freshman Bryar Householder, and it paid off in a 4-1 win over the Pirates.
“I agonized over (the decision) last night,” Baugher said. “Sam Printz has been pitching really well. If we go back the last 10 games and they’re (almost) dead even and (Cardington has) seen Bryar before. I agonized over it, but you just go with your gut with who you think is gonna be at their best that night.”
Trey Brininger hit a two-out double in the first inning and scored on a Nate Hickman single to give ninth-seeded Cardington an early 1-0 lead.
From there, Householder was nearly unhittable. The freshman ace set down 13 in a row at one point as East Knox took the lead. He ended up with seven strikeouts and allowed just four hits, with three coming in the first inning and none after the third.
“He does an excellent job of locating his off-speed and he keeps the ball down,” Cardington coach Jack Bault said. “He keeps inching and inching and getting those calls because he’s consistently in the zone. He did a good job of controlling baserunners when we did get them on — throwing over to make sure we didn’t get good timing. The future is bright for him. He’s a freshman and a great young pitcher.”
Householder has talent, no doubt; but it’s his attitude that has been a key factor this season, Baugher noted.
“In a game like this with everything on the line, he’s got a special makeup,” Baugher said. “He doesn’t get nervous. He’s the darndest kid. He’s very talented. But he’s what ... 15 years old.”
Householder has been known to let loose a smile while on the mound.
“He’s not showing up the other team,” Baugher insists. “He just loves baseball.”
“I just don’t let stuff get to my head,” Householder said. “I just have fun and just throw the ball.”
It’s that attitude that made the decision like a bolt of lightning for Baugher. He was out walking the dogs in Mount Vernon Square on Sunday night when he was paid an unexpected visit.
“I’m just thinking, ‘What am I gonna do, what am I gonna do’; and then I hear, ‘Hey Baugh!’ I turn around and it’s Bryar,” Baugher said. “He was with somebody going around the square in Mount Vernon and he yelled at me. I thought, ‘You know what — he’s pitching. That’s all there is to it. He’s getting that ball.’”
Householder has a laissez-faire attitude. Nothing seems to bother him. The meeting on Sunday night was further proof to Baugher that Householder was ready.
“Some kids try to project that (attitude),” Baugher said. “It’s not legit. Really, they’re kind of playing a role. But that’s just (Householder). That’s his makeup, his personality. And it goes great with his style because I think he gets the most out of it, because he’s relaxed and he just loves baseball.”
Teddy Sears hit an RBI triple in the second inning to tie the game and scored on a Cole DeLaughder sacrifice fly to give the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead.
DeLaughder reached on an error to lead off the fourth and ended up scoring on a wild pitch to extend the Bulldogs’ lead.
Then Householder opened the fifth with a no-doubter to right to finish the scoring.
Avery Harper was solid for the Pirates. He allowed three earned runs on seven hits and four walks and struck out seven over six innings.
“Avery’s been our guy all year,” Bault said. “He’s been the guy in every clutch game and every clutch moment. He’s one of the fiercest competitors. I have no doubt that he’s going to be successful in whatever he does in life.”
The Bulldogs travel to Lancaster on Wednesday to take on third-seeded Berne Union in the district title game at Beavers Field.
St. Francis DeSales 8, Utica 0
Aiden Cannon drove in four runs and Niko Kreuzer tossed a complete game to lead St. Francis DeSales to an 8-0 win at Utica in a Division II district semifinal on Monday, May 22, at American Legion Post 92 Field.
Kreuzer allowed two hits and two walks and struck out seven in the shutout to lead the 10th-seeded Stallions.
Cannon had two hits and scored twice, and Connor Huzicka had two hits — both doubles — and scored three runs for DeSales, which will play at top-seeded Bloom-Carroll in a district final on Wednesday.
Tanner Parsons and Logan Brokaw accounted for the only two hits for ninth-seeded Utica.
