Another day, another close Hoosier Crossroads Conference game for Fishers.
The Tigers played their second game with Zionsville on Friday, hoping to earn an HCC sweep after an eight-inning victory on Thursday. Friday’s game was close, but it went the Eagles’ way by the score of 4-3. As a result, Fishers and Zionsville split the conference series.
The Eagles scored a run in the first inning, with Fishers answering in the bottom of the second. Collin Shelton was hit by a pitch, then moved to third on Daniel Owens’ base hit. Shelton got home on a wild pitch.
Zionsville added one run in both the third and fourth innings. The Tigers tied it up again in the fifth. Shelton drew a walks, then Owens was hit by a pitch. Joey Brenczewski advanced both runners on a sacrifice bunt.
Charlie Walker came up next, and his fielder’s choice to third base scored Shelton. JJ Woolwine was walked, sending Walker to second, and Walker was soon running home after Nick Lukac base hit into left field.
Zionsville scored on an RBI groundout in the top of the sixth, and the Eagles held the lead from there. Fishers had runners on second and third base with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, and tried to steal home, but Zionsville got the home-plate tag for the third out. It was a tough way to end the game, but Tigers coach Matt Cherry was pleased that his team kept competing throughout the entire contest.
“I love how they competed,” said Cherry. “They fought back. We found a way to tie it. We found a way to be in a position to tie it again with the winning run on base. We were in position. It’s a tough way to end it like that, but it is what it is. One game.”
Zionsville held Fishers to just two hits, the singles from Owens and Lukac.
Anthony Castellani pitched the first five innings for the Tigers, with Jack Minns relieving him in the sixth. Minns struck out four and Castellani had three strikeouts.
Fishers is 1-1 in the conference and 3-4 overall. The Tigers will finish the series with Zionsville at noon today at the Eagles’ field; this will be a non-conference game.
Zionsville 4, Fishers 3
Fishers AB R H RBI
JJ Woolwine 2 0 0 0
Nick Lukac 3 0 1 0
Kiel Brenczewski 3 0 0 0
Kaid Muth 3 0 0 0
Dominic Oliverio 3 0 0 0
Collin Shelton 1 2 0 0
Daniel Owens 2 0 1 0
Joey Brenczewski 1 0 0 0
Jack Braun 1 0 0 0
Charlie Walker 3 1 0 1
Michael Hart 0 0 0 0
Totals 22 3 2 1
Score by innings
Zionsville 101 101 0 – 4 9 0
Fishers 010 020 0 – 3 2 1
SAC: J. Brenczewski. HBP: Owens, Shelton.
Fishers pitching IP R ER H
Anthony Castellani 5 4 3 7
Jack Minns 2 0 0 1
Strikeouts: Minns 4, Castellani 3. Walks: Castellani 1.
Fishers catcher Kiel Brenczewski applies the tag to a Zionsville runner at home plate during the Tigers-Eagles baseball game Friday at Fishers. (Kent Graham)