East Knox Bulldogs blast Harvest Prep Warriors, 20-0
Rolling on a five-run first and a 15-run explosion in the second inning, East Knox started the OHSSA Division-4 tournament by blasting the Harvest Prep Warriors, 20-0, May 18. Bryar Householder and Peyton Lester combined to no-hit the Warriors in the mercy-shortened three-inning game. Householder struck out five and walked one in two innings, and Lester pitched a perfect third, striking out a pair.
The Bulldogs connected for 14 hits and reached base on 14 walks and two hit batters. Householder had two hits, scored three runs and drove in three to lead the ’Dogs, and Josh Keith added two hits, including the team’s only extra-base-hit (a double).
The Bulldogs started the score fest in the first on two hit batters, an RBI single by Householder, a wild pitch that scored a run, and an on-base string of a walk, an error and a run-producing double by Keith. Up 5-0, EK put the game away with a 15-run stampede that started with three walks, an error, another walk, a one-out two-run single by Mitch Williams, two more walks and Householder’s two-run single to make it 12-0. Four more walks and a two-run single by Keith was followed by a fielder’s choice, a dropped third strike and two more walks to cap the scoring.
Northmor loses in extras to Fairbanks, 3-2
The Northmor tournament season ended May 17 when a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning provided a run the Knights couldn’t get back, as Fairbanks eliminated the Golden Knights in the OHSSA Division-3 sectional.
The Panthers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a two-out walk-double progression. The Knights came right back to tie it. After a lead-off single by Max Lower and after he stole second, a two-out RBI-single by Andrew Armrose made it 1-1.
Fairbanks took a 2-1 lead in the third, and Northmor tied it again in the fifth on walks to Trenton Ramos and Lower and a run-scoring single by Griffin Workman to make it a 2-2 game.
With the game tied into the eighth, the Panthers put together a hit batter, a wild pitch, a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly for the game-winner. Northmor rallied in the bottom of the eighth on one-out singles by Garret Corwin and Gavin Whited, but the game ended on a slick line-drive double play turned by the Panthers’ second baseman.
Scots score late in comeback win over Freddies, 5-4
The Highland Fighting Scots were held scoreless until the fifth, when they came back from a 4-0 deficit to score two in the fifth and three in the sixth for a 5-4 win over Fredericktown on May 16.
The Freddies struck first with a one-out triple in the second by Brady Lester and an RBI single by Kaid Carpenter. With two outs, Braden Sapp singled in Carpenter to make it 2-0. The Freddies got two more in the fourth on a lead-off single by Lester, a sacrifice bunt by Carpenter and a run-scoring single by Trevor Jobes, who eventually scored on a ground out.
Highland started its comeback in the fifth with two walks and a hit batter to load the bases with none out. Brock Church singled in a run, and with one out, Kort Sears cut the deficit to 4-2. The Scots’ game-winning rally started with a sixth-inning single by Hayden Kline and a hit batter, followed by a sacrifice bunt by Cooper Merckling to put runners at second and third. A walk to Zach Schmidt loaded the bases, and with two outs, Church walked to force in a run. A passed ball made it 4-4, and another passed ball scored Schmidt with the deciding run.
Highland was outhit by Fredericktown, 7-5, and was paced by Sears with two hits and Church with two RBIs. Lester, Jobes and Sapp each banged out two hits for the Freddies. Sapp drove in a pair of runs. Each team used four pitchers in the tight battle.
Trojans shoot down Rockets 14-0 with two big innings
Centerburg put the game away with a six-run outburst in the second and four runs in the third to demolish Berne Union, 14-0, on May 16.
The Trojans broke open a 1-0 game with six runs in the second. Isiah Reynolds led off with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly to right by Reed Compton. An error was followed by a bunt single by Caylen LeMaster and a run-scoring fielder’s choice hit by Jarred Rings. With two outs, Dakota Baer singled in a run and Dalton Hall singled in another, followed by a two-run single by Jesse Rings to make it 7-0, and the rout was on.
C-Berg outhit BU 13-1, with Hall getting three hits and Caylen LeMaster, Grayson Reynolds and Jesse Rings connecting for two hits apiece. Hall led the scoring attack with three RBIs. On the mound, Daniel LeMaster and Tyler Johnson combined to limit Berne Union to one hit.
