The East Knox Bulldogs erupted for 14 hits and used a dominant fourth inning to cruise past Loudonville, 16-2, in five innings on Wednesday.
After Loudonville took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first on a groundout by Chayse Wright and an RBI single by Connor Whelan, East Knox responded quickly and never looked back.
The Bulldogs answered with three runs in the bottom of the first, highlighted by RBI hits from Jaxon Lester and Zayne Grennell, and a sacrifice fly from Colton Armstrong.
East Knox extended its lead in the second with a run-scoring double from Caden Ridenour and a fielder’s choice RBI by Grennell. Two more runs came across in the third after Loudonville committed a costly error.
The Bulldogs broke the game wide open in the fourth, plating eight runs on 10 hits. Cash Cook and Wade Denuit each delivered RBI hits, Caleb Armstrong drove in two with a double, and Shane Gardner added an RBI single. Additional runs scored on a fielder’s choice, another Loudonville error, and a single from Colton Kidwell.
Armstrong earned the win on the mound for East Knox, allowing two hits and two runs over three innings while striking out three. Kidwell closed the game with two scoreless innings of relief, striking out two and walking one.
Dilan Wade took the loss for Loudonville, surrendering eight hits and 12 runs (seven earned) over three and one-third innings.
Kidwell and Wyatt Denuit each collected two hits for East Knox, while Ridenour, Armstrong, Grennell, and Lester drove in two runs apiece. Grennell also stole three of the Bulldogs’ four bases in the game.
