Fishers split the second day of its Tennessee trip on Saturday, beating Shelbyville Central 8-1, then falling to Stewarts Creek, last year’s Tennessee state runner-up, 8-7.
In the first game, Mason Thomas made his varsity debut for the Class 4A No. 1 Tigers and played well for five innings. Thomas retired the first 11 batters he faced and finished with six strikeouts, while allowing two base runners (one single and one hit batter). Griffin Rhoads pitched a perfect 1-2-3 sixth inning, and Matthew Wolff pitched the seventh, striking out two and allowing one unearned run.
As the weather warmed up, the Fishers bats came alive pounding out 10 hits. Wolff led the Tigers at the plate finishing 3-for-4 with three RBIs. Alex Jamieson hit his first home run of the season, a two-run homer to dead center field. Kiel Brenczewski contributed two hits, and Grant Richardson reached based three times (a single and two walks).
Fishers continued its hot hitting in their second game, jumping out to a 5-0 lead through four innings. The Tigers scored two in the first inning when Richardson delivered a two-out doubled followed by RBI singles from Brenczewski and Wolff. Craig Yoho connected on his second home run of the season, a solo shot in the third. Two batters later Brenczewski connected on a two-run home run for his second homer in two days.
Richardson pitched brilliantly in his first start of the season, striking out 10 of the 13 outs allowing two hits, while walking two and hitting two. After reaching his 80-pitch limit for his first start, Richardson was removed from the mound in the fifth inning, and Stewarts Creek immediately took the lead with six runs. Jamieson delivered his second home run of the day to tie the score 6-6 in sixth inning. Richardson was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded later in the inning to take a 7-6 lead for the Tigers.
With a 7-6 lead in the bottom of the seventh, Drew Hoffman (0-1) walked the leadoff batter before surrendered the game winning walk-off home run.
Fishers returns home from its annual Tennessee trip with a 3-2 record. The Tigers return to action next week when they open Hoosier Crossroads Conference play with a three-game series with 4A No. 9 Noblesville. The Tigers will play at Noblesville on Thursday and Saturday and will host the Millers at 6 p.m. on Friday.
Fishers 8, Shelbyville Central 1
Fishers AB R H RBI
Grant Whetsel 2 0 0 0
Collin Shelton 2 1 1 0
Craig Yoho 3 0 0 0
Grant Richardson 1 1 1 1
TJ Ratliff 1 1 1 0
Kiel Brenczewski 4 0 2 0
Drew Hoffman 0 1 0 0
Matt Wolff 4 1 3 3
Alex Klotz 0 0 0 0
Jack Roudebush 4 2 1 0
Alex Jamieson 4 1 1 2
Daniel Owens 2 0 0 1
Nick Lukac 2 0 0 0
Totals 29 8 10 7
Score by innings
Shelbyville 000 000 1 – 1 1 2
Fishers 021 122 x – 8 10 2
HR: Jamieson. SB: Lukac 2, Ratliff, Richardson. HBP: Owens, Yoho.
Fishers pitching IP R ER H
Mason Thomas (W) 5 0 0 1
Griffin Rhoads 1 0 0 0
Wolff 1 1 0 0
Strikeouts: Thomas 6, Wolff 2, Rhoads 1. Walks: Wolff 1.
Stewarts Creek 8, Fishers 7
Fishers AB R H RBI
JJ Woolwine 3 0 0 0
Collin Shelton 1 0 1 0
Craig Yoho 3 1 1 1
Grant Richardson 3 0 2 1
Grant Whetsel 0 2 0 0
Kiel Brenczewski 4 2 2 3
Matt Wolff 4 0 1 1
Jack Roudebush 3 0 0 0
Alex Jamieson 3 1 1 1
Alex Klotz 0 0 0 0
Nick Lukac 4 0 2 0
Ben Burton 2 0 1 0
Daniel Owens 1 1 0 0
Totals 31 7 11 7
Score by innings
Fishers 203 002 0 – 7 11 2
Stewarts Creek 000 060 2 – 8 5 2
HR: Brenczewski, Jamieson, Yoho. 2B: Richardson. SB: Wolff. HBP: Richardson.
Fishers pitching IP R ER H
Richardson 4.1 3 3 2
Tristan Baker 0.2 3 2 2
Drew Hoffman 1.0 2 2 1
Strikeouts: Richardson 10. Walks: Richardson 2, Baker 1, Hoffman 1.