Bryar Householder was a force to be reckoned with on the mound for East Knox, going eight innings of near perfect baseball in an extra-inning 1-0 shutout over Northmor.
Householder and Drew Hammond were both on top of their games, but Householder was about as dominant as it gets. He allowed only one hit and didn’t walk a batter, and the Golden Knights were barely able to make contact as he had 18 strikeouts. Hammond went seven and two-thirds innings, before letting up a run. He allowed four hits and a walk, and struck out nine batters.
In the first inning Householder ripped a two out single to left, and Caden Ridenour reached on a walk. Hammond was able to get out of the jam on a popup, however. In the bottom half of the inning, Householder whiffed all three batters to strike out the side.
In the second inning, Hammond decided it was his turn to impress, striking out the side in order. Householder came out and did the same, two swinging and one looking. In the top of the third, Hammond retired the side in order. Householder came out in the bottom half and picked up where he left off with two straight strikeouts. Northmor was able to get on base on a Jack Bowdre ground ball that was misplayed, and then Grant Bentley hit a line drive to right for the first hit of the day for the Golden Knights. Householder followed with a strikeout looking to get out of the mini-jam.
Both teams had one-two-three fourth through sixth innings, but in the top of the seventh, Householder drilled his second single of the day. Hammond sat down two straight on strikeouts, and then hit Josh Keith to put two men on. Derrick Field grounded out to third base, and the game remained tied heading into the bottom of the seventh. Householder was as dominant as ever, retiring the side in order with two strikeouts and a pop out.
The top of the eight, Hammond came back out to pitch and struck out the first two batters. Bracen Davis then reached on an error and Caden Wengerd knocked him in on a double to centerfield, putting East Knox up 1-0.
Householder was ready to do more damage at the plate, but he was intentionally walked by Trevor Brubaker, who relieved Hammond after what was an outstanding showing. Brubaker retired Ridenour on a grounder, and now it was Householder’s chance to shut them down for the win.
Householder struck out the first batter, then forced a groundout, and finished the game as he had done so often, with a strikeout.
Coach Randy Baugher was amazed by Householder, saying that his pitching was as good as he has ever seen it.
"This is the fourth year that we've had Bryar Householder and the Northmor game was the best I've seen him command all of his pitches," Baugher said. "I felt like he was even sharper than he was in the perfect game vs. Centerburg last season. Only 85 pitches, 75 for strikes, in eight innings of work is pretty amazing."
East Knox 6, Centerburg 5
When Householder wasn't lighting it up on the mound last week, he was doing damage at the plate. On April 10, Householder knocked in three RBIs to lead the Bulldogs to a 6-5 win over KMAC rival Centerburg on April 10.
Derrick Field got the win and Josh Keith picked up a save in the tight win over the Trojans.
The Bulldogs went up 1-0 on an RBI double by Householder in the first inning, but then in the bottom of the third inning, Jonah Gribben scored on a Jesse Rings sacrifice to tie the game 1-1.
In the top of the firth, Householder struck again with an RBI single to right. Ridenour followed with a walk, and then Shane Gardner hit an RBI single to make it a 3-1 game. Keith followed with a two run single to go up by four runs.
In the top of the sixth, Householder knocked another run home on a sacrifice fly. In the bottom half, Daniel Lemaster hit an RBI single for Centerburg to make it a 6-2 game. Mason Vallance singled and drove in Lemaster to cut the lead to three, and then two batters later Logan Geiger hit an RBI single to make it a 6-4 game. Gribben brought it to a one run game on an RBI single, but East Knox was able to hold on for the win.
Field pitched three innings, allowing one earned run, one hit and four walks, while striking out three. Keith pitched four innings of relief, allowing four runs but one earned, and five hits, while striking out five batters.
East Knox had nine hits in the game, with Householder leading the charge going 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs. Wengerd and Davis each had two hits, as well.
Centerburg was led by Geiger, who had a double and an RBI on a 1-for-3 day.
Lemaster was handed the loss, going four and one-third innings allowing five earned runs, seven hits, and four walks, while striking out five.
