By CRAIG ADKINS
For The Reporter
NOBLESVILLE – After a Saturday doubleheader sweep of Hoosier Crossroads Conference rival Fishers, the Millers got back to work Monday night against the Rossville Hornets.
Noblesville made their presence known quickly at Dunker Field with a three-run first inning and was able to hold off a late push in the top of the seventh from the Hornets to post a 6-3 victory.
Starting pitcher Quinton Black sent Rossville down in order in the top of the first.
Trevor Corbett led off with a walk and advanced on an error by Rossville pitcher Matthew Ford attempting to pick him off at first. Corbett wound up at third on the overthrow.
Aiden Reynolds drove in Corbett on a sacrifice fly to right for a quick 1-0 lead. Two batters later with two down, Nolan Decker drilled a single into center. Aiden Ramsey drove in Decker with a base hit down the left field line. After Ramsey stole second, McCoy Fulk drove him home for the 3-0 lead after one.
Black fanned another pair in the second for three in his two innings, also stranding both baserunners that got on with consecutive hits.
Sam Deno walked to start the home half of the second. Courtesy runner Blake Widget stole second and third and would be sent home on a Brady Bishop single to right center that make it 4-0.
Freshman Eli Hall came in to relieve Black in the third. Hall struck out four and scattered two hits over 3.1 innings.
The Hornets got their first run in the sixth. Ashton Abbott scored when Kolten Davis reached on an error by relief pitcher Josh Peek, cutting it to 4-1.
Noblesville got back the Rossville run by adding two more in the bottom of the sixth. Ramsey and Fulk hit back-to-back singles. With Fulk up, Ramsey stole second and wound up at third. Fulk sent a hit to center, sending Ramsey home with ease. Pinch hitter Tanner Miller drove in the final run on a line drive just past Ford at the mound, plating Fulk for a 6-1 score.
Peek took off from where he left in the sixth, striking out the final two in the inning and started the seventh off whiffing the first two hitters. He then gave up two walks in a row, both scored on a double from Zac Wainscott for the final score of 6-3.
Quinton Black (1-1) earned the win on the mound for his first on the season. Both Eli Hall and Josh Peek struck out four.
Aiden Ramsey went 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored, three stolen bases and drove in a run. McCoy Fulk also had a great hitting night, driving in a pair on a 2-of-3 performance.
Noblesville (8-2, 2-0) gets back to Hoosier Crossroads Conference action on the road Thursday at Franklin Central (5-3, 1-3) at 6:30 p.m. The Millers return home on Friday to finish the series, also a 6:30 p.m. start and then on Saturday hosts Columbus North (4-1) at 1 p.m.