Tigers play to split with Rocks

The REPORTER

The Fishers baseball team earned a Hoosier Crossroads Conference split with Westfield after winning Game 2 of the series 8-5 Friday, April 24 at the Shamrocks’ field.

The Tigers scored their first run in the second inning; Carter Davis got home on a wild pitch. Fishers added two runs in the fourth inning: Carter Strole scored after David Pina reached on error, then Pina got home on Sean Frey’s sacrifice fly.

Fishers put up another two runs in the fifth inning for a 5-0 lead. Vincent Pecoraro scored on an error, then Ethan Buelt got home on a wild pitch.

Andrew Baldini singled in a seventh-inning run, bringing in Connor Hackworth. Asher Nelson scored on a passed ball, then Baldini scored on a wild pitch, giving the Tigers an 8-0 lead.

The Shamrocks attempted a comeback, scoring all five of their runs in the bottom of the seventh. Collin Kern scored the first run after Reid Dikos reached on error. Maddox Novotney singled in Dikos, then later got home on a wild pitch.

Andrew Noble scored on Gavin Russ’ RBI groundout, then Robbie Brandenburg batted in Lincoln Hoffman. Strole threw a strikeout to finish the game.

Austin Conley picked up the win in relief, striking out six over four innings. Kern had two hits for Westfield; Clayton Walther threw six strikeouts in 2.1 innings, with starter Aiden Grabowski throwing four in four innings.

The Tigers are 3-3 in conference play, while the Shamrocks are 4-2.

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In Saturday, April 25 games, Fishers beat Twin Lakes 2-1 in eight innings in the first of two games for the Tigers.

Frey scored a fourth-inning run on an error. The Indians tied the game in the sixth inning, but Justin Brown singled in the walkoff run in the eight inning, sending Buelt home.

Starter Luke Benefield threw four strikeouts in six innings, while Baldini pitched the final two innings for the win.

Fishers hosted Andrean in its second game and lost 14-1 in five innings.

The 59ers scored 12 runs in the fifth inning. Owen Lukac singled in Davis for the Tigers’ run.

Grant Wolf struck out six in 4.1 innings.

Fishers is 7-9 overall and hosts Hamilton Southeastern on Thursday to begin the Mudsock series.

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Westfield also played Andrean on Saturday, April 25 and lost 1-0.

Noble had two hits. James Kovacs pitched three innings, striking out four.

The Shamrocks are 7-6-1 and host Noblesville on Thursday.