East Knox baseball begins with 6-2 win over Fairfield
The East Knox Bulldogs led from start to finish in polishing off Fairfield Christian Academy, 6-2, March 29.
EK scored one in the first, one in the second and two each on the fourth and sixth to take a 6-0 lead into the final inning. The Knights spoiled the shutout and struck for two in the seventh but left with the four-run loss.
EK outhit the Knights 9-4, with Carson Steinmetz, Bryar Householder and Landon Spearman each banging out two hits. Spearman also drove in two runs. Shane Knepp and Steinmetz each connected for a double. Householder pitched 5 2/3 innings of two-hit shutout ball, striking out six without a walk.
Highland starts MOAC season with 4-1, 13-5 wins over Ontario
The Highland Fighting Scots swept a two-game series with Ontario, winning 4-1 and 13-5 over the Warriors.
In the first game, March 29, Highland took a 2-0 lead in the first and made it stand up in its 2022 MOAC-opening 4-1 victory over the Warriors. Each team connected for five hits.
Scots starter Blake Jodrey pitched five strong innings for Highland, allowing one unearned run and striking out five while giving up four hits.
The Scots scored early, as Rider Minnick led off the game with a double over the left fielder’s head. He advanced to third on a passed ball and scored when Minnick made it safely home on a sacrifice bunt by Brock Church, his first of two RBI on the night. Senior Luke Cain drove in Church for a 2-0 lead after one inning.
An unearned run in the second cut the Highland lead to 2-1. In the fifth inning, Highland padded its lead when freshman Kort Sears led off with an infield single and scored on a Church double to center.
In the March 30 game, Highland outhit the Warriors 12-8 in a battle that saw the teams tied 2-2 after one. Highland took a 5-2 lead after two and squeaked ahead 6-5 after three. A four-run fourth iced it for the Scots.
Minnick added three more hits and another double and Zach Pinkerton, Jon Jensen and Sears each had two hits. Jensen led the Scots with three RBI. Minnick struck out six in three innings on the mound for Highland.
Bentley sharp on the mound, at the plate as Northmor shuts out Bucyrus, 10-0
Northmor’s Grant Bentley was in midseason form at bat and on the bump, and the Golden Knights broke open a 1-0 game with a five-run third to demolish the Bucyrus Redmen, 10-0.
The Golden Knights outhit the Redmen 11-2 and played errorless ball, while Bucyrus fielders committed three miscues.
Bentley and Griffin Workman each reached base on three hits. Andrew Armose and Cooper Thomas each drove in two runs, and Max Lower, Bentley and Garrett Corwin each scored twice for Northmor. Bentley also pitched two-hit shutout ball in four innings on the mound, striking out seven in the win.
Centerburg scores late to top Licking Valley, 6-3
Licking Valley’s 1-0 lead after one and 2-1 advantage after three disappeared after a two-run Trojans fourth in Centerburg's 6-3 win March 29.
The Panthers tied it with a run in the fifth, but Centerburg answered with two in the sixth and one more in the seventh to come away with the win.
Centerburg outhit Licking Valley 7-3 and committed only one error to three for the Panthers.
The Trojans’ Caylen Lemaster was the only player on the field to connect for two hits, and Daniel Lemaster nailed down the win with 2 2/3 innings of relief, striking out three, to finish up for Reed Compton, who went 4 1/3 innings, striking out four.
Lester homers twice in 9-run second as Fredericktown sinks Vikings, 14-1
Kaid Carpenter and Luke Bean held Columbus Academy to one hit, and Brady Lester drove in five runs with a solo shot and a grand slam in the second inning to propel the Freddies to a 14-1 win over the Vikings on March 30.
The Freddies outhit the Vikings 16-1 and got all of the support they needed with a four-run first to take a 4-1 lead. The Freddies then put the game away with a nine-run onslaught in the second and coasted from there.
Lester connected for three hits, including the two second-inning blasts, and Braden Sapp banged out three hits, with Teegan Ruhl adding two safeties for Fredericktown. Lester’s five RBI were supported by two each from Sapp and Korbin McGowan. Carpenter struck out 11 in four innings of mound work without allowing a walk. Bean closed out the fifth, allowing only one base runner.
Redskins top Blue Devils 10-3
The Utica Redskins scored three runs in each of the third, fourth and fifth innings to break open a 1-1 game and knock off Danville, 10-3, March 30.
Utica’s Roman Gamble gave up only one hit and three unearned runs in 5 2/3 innings on the mound while striking out eight to earn the win. The Redskins outhit the Blue Devils 9-2, with Gavin Tussey and Chase Bennett garnering two hits apiece for Utica. Hayden Piper and Gamble each had two RBI for the ‘Skins, while Wyatt Weckesser and Levi Lyons got Danville’s only hits.
East Knox loses in walk-off to Newark Catholic, 12-11
The East Knox Bulldogs lost on a final-play walk-off single to Newark Catholic, 12-11, on March 30.
EK put up two in the first, two in the second and three in the fifth, but a four-run Newark fourth tied the game at 7-7 after five. Another four-run outburst in the sixth put the Green Wave ahead 11-7 entering the seventh. Bryar Householder tied the game 11-11 in the seventh on a grand slam. But in the bottom of the inning, the Green Wave got the walk-off hit.
The Bulldogs connected for 12 hits, led by Peyton Lester with three hits and Cole Delaughder, Householder and Carson Steinmetz with two hits each.
