Hamilton Heights picked up a big all-county win Friday, beating Sheridan 14-1 in five innings at the Huskies’ field.
Senior Gabe Reel was responsible for half of those runs, as he drove in seven runs for Heights. In the first inning, Reel batted in two runs with a left field double, getting Cole Meyer and Michael Cross in to score.
In the second inning, the Huskies loaded the bases, with Luke Stohler getting on with a single and Meyer and Cross drawing walks. Reel stepped up next and hit a homer to left field – a grand slam. Just like that, Heights led 7-0.
Reel came up again in the third inning, and his base hit to right field sent Meyer home. That made Reel a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate. Meyer hit a double to get on base.
Meyer and Cross both scored three times, with Stohler and Luke Thesier each getting two hits. Sam Fulton hit two sacrifice flies to score two runs. Meyer got the pitching win.
“Going into the sectional, you want to be playing well,” said Huskies coach JR Moffatt. “And tonight we hit it really well. We’ve had two good days of practice and hit the ball really well in practice.”
Sheridan scored its run in the fifth inning; Corbin Went’s sacrifice fly sent Steve Smith home. Smith was 2-for-2 at the plate.
The Huskies are 13-9 and will play a doubleheader at Frankfort today to finish their regular season. First pitch is at 10 a.m. The Blackhawks finished their regular season 7-9 and will play sectional host Tri-County on Thursday in the first round of the sectional.
Hamilton Heights’ Erik Malott (center) caught the final inning of the Huskies’ baseball game with Sheridan on Friday. Heights won 14-1 in five innings. At right is the Blackhawks’ Kyle Archer. (Richie Hall)
Sheridan AB R H RBI
Jake O’Hara 2 0 1 0
Sean Speck 1 0 0 0
Corbin Went 1 0 0 1
Cameron Hovey 3 0 0 0
Zach Mannies 1 0 0 0
Jacob Vita 1 0 0 0
Caine Spencer 1 0 1 0
Nolan Buckner 2 0 0 0
Kyle Archer 2 0 0 0
Steve Smith 2 1 2 0
Cole Cummings 2 0 1 0
Totals 18 1 5 1
SB: Cummings. SAC: Went.
Sheridan pitching IP R ER H
Speck 2 7 6 4
Mannies 1 5 5 6
Archer 1 2 0 0
Strikeouts: Speck 3. Walks: Speck 4.
Heights AB R H RBI
Cole Meyer 2 3 1 0
Michael Cross 2 3 1 1
Gabe Reel 3 1 3 7
Erik Malott 0 0 0 0
Sam Fulton 1 0 1 2
Sam Rupe 3 0 0 0
Sam Wahl 3 2 1 0
Luke Stohler 2 2 2 1
Evan Warner 1 0 0 0
Cobe Koors 3 0 0 1
Luke Thesier 3 2 2 0
Brody Piel 0 1 0 0
Totals 23 14 11 12
HR: Reel. 2B: Meyer, Reel. SB: Stohler 2, Cross. SAC: Fulton 2.
Heights pitching IP R ER H
Meyer (W) 2.1 0 0 2
Thesier 2.0 0 0 1
Drew Fryman 0.2 1 1 2
Strikeouts: Meyer 4. Walks: Thesier 2, Fryman 1.
Score by innings
Sheridan 000 01 – 1 5 3
Heights 345 2x – 14 10 0