Freddies score early to fold Aces, 5-1
Fredericktown scored three runs in the first and never looked back as it took down Amanda-Clearcreek, 5-1, in the OHSAA Division 3 District final May 25 to move on to the regionals. The Freddies’ three-of-a-kind was more than the Aces could handle, as Amanda-Clearcreek fell to 18-7 on the season and Fredericktown improved to 20-6.
Down 1-0 in the bottom of the first, Fredericktown came back with a lead-off single by Brady Lester, a walk to Kaid Carpenter and a bunt single by Trevor Jobes to load the bases. A sacrifice fly to center by Jaxen Doup tied the score at 1-1, and Luke Bean walked to reload the bases. Walks to Xavier Mullins and Braden Sapp each forced in a run, and the Freddies were up 3-1 after one. Fredericktown added a run in the second when Carpenter, who had walked, stole third and home with two outs.
The final run of the game was put on the board in the fourth when Lester, who had singled in the inning, stole home with two outs.
The Freddies connected for five hits and 10 walks and Fredericktown’s pitcher Bean, held A-C to four hits and four walks. Bean allowed one run and struck out two in his 110-pitch performance. Fredericktown stole eight bases – three each for Jobes and Lester and two for Carpenter – while holding A-C close to the bases with no steals.
Lester had two hits to lead the Freddies, and Xavier Mullins drew three walks. Lester and Carpenter each scored twice.
The Freddies move on to the OHSAA Division 3 Regional semifinals June 2 at Elida MS, where they face Edison at 5 p.m.
Golden Knights no-hit by Liberty Union to end solid season
Northmor came into the OHSAA Division 3 District final May 26 averaging 7.5 runs per game, but it ran into a buzz-saw pitching performance by Jacob Miller, and its season ended with a 10-0 loss to Liberty Union.
Northmor entered the game at 18-8, having just beaten West Jefferson, 4-1, Buckeye Central, 10-0, and Pleasant, 4-2, in tournament games, but Liberty Union came in with a 23-5 record and came in hot with a hot pitcher as well. The Lions put two runs on the board in the first and two more in the second to lead 4-0. They put the game away with a four-run third and added two in the fifth for the 10-0 win.
The Golden Knights’ offense was a non-issue as Miller crafted a no-hitter, retiring 15 of 16 Northmor batters he faced, striking out 14 and needing only 63 pitches. Only Andrew Armrose was able to connect and not strike out against Miller.
FCA Knights’ five-run fifth kennels Bulldogs, 7-5
East Knox jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the first but fell victim to a five-run fifth inning to be ousted from the playoffs with a 7-5 loss to Fairfield Christian Academy in the OHSAA Division 4 District final May 26.
Coming off a 5-0 win over Big Walnut, a 20-0 destruction of Harvest Prep and a 2-1 win over Madison Christian in tourney games, East Knox entered the game at 16-6 to face the Knights at 15-10.
After giving up a run in the top of the first, Carson Steinmetz and Peyton Lester each walked to put runners on first and second with no outs. Bryar Householder lined a double to right to score two runs, and with one out, Cole Delaughder lined a single to center to score Householder and put EK ahead 3-1.
The score remained 3-1 until the fifth, when the Knights attacked with a five-spot to go up 6-3. The Bulldogs rallied in their next at-bat. Steinmetz grounded a one-out single to center, Lester lined a single to center and Householder singled to right to score two runs and cut the deficit to 6-5. FCA added an insurance run in the sixth, and EK put the tying runners on in the seventh but couldn’t produce any runs.
Each team had 10 hits, but EK committed three errors to one for FCA. Householder, Delaughder and Shane Knepp each connected for two hits, and Householder’s four RBIs led the Bulldog offense.
