Royals take first game over Millers

By CRAIG ADKINS

For The Reporter

NOBLESVILLE – The Thursday, May 7 first game of the two-game series between Hamilton Southeastern and Noblesville started out delayed by an hour and 17 minutes due to the surrounding and anticipated weather.

That delay didn’t faze Royals starting pitcher Spencer Mohr one bit. The junior threw six and two-thirds innings of no-hit baseball before the Millers attempted a two-out rally. Their rally fell short and HSE stole the first game in the series on the road, 5-2.

Mohr was wheeling and dealing, striking out eight and spreading out four walks over his seven frames of almost flawless work.

A scoreless game through three, the Royals found ways to get to Mississippi State commit Beckett Doane.

Alex Shepherd and Chase Bradle were hit by Doane pitches consecutively and Mohr walked, loading the bases to start the fourth. Colin Kendrick hit a grounder to third and reached on an error by Chris Martz at third, scoring Shepherd for a 1-0 lead.

Jackson Bixler next hit a bases-clearing triple to right to give HSE a 4-0 advantage.

The lead got pushed to 5-0 on a Clark Bucher groundout, scoring Bixler.

The Millers were hitless until the seventh and Mohr came back out with his pitch count at 94.

Slade Hodges walked and Jalen Stidham was hit by a pitch for two on. Three hitters later with two outs, Martz tripled to center, scoring both Hodges and Stidham for what became the final score of 5-2.

Doane (4-1) struck out seven, taking his first loss, gave up three runs (all earned) and walked five in three innings.

Bixler led HSE’s offense with two hits and three runs driven in. Mohr improved to 5-2 on the season.