Hamilton Heights scored a big upset at Western on Tuesday, beating the Class 3A No. 2 Panthers 4-3 in a Hoosier Conference game.
The Huskies jumped on Western early, scoring three runs in the first inning. Luke Thesier got on base with a triple, then Lucas Letsinger drew a walk. After absorbing two strikeouts, Alex Hewitt smashed a home run into left field, giving Heights an early 3-0 advantage.
The Huskies maintained their lead throughout the game. The Panthers got on the board with a run in the fourth inning, but after that, pitcher Sam Fulton threw three straight strikeouts to end the inning.
“Sam was on a mission tonight,” said Heights coach JR Moffatt. “He really wanted this one and did everything he could do to finish it, he just ran out of pitches. He may have run out of pitches but he certainly didn’t run out of heart. Sam is a warrior. He fights and battles every pitch. He did a great job, we obviously don’t win without him. Conner Linn was great for them too, it’s a good thing we got him early because we didn’t have much for him after that first inning.”
The Huskies added another run in the sixth inning, when Sam Allen doubled home Issiac Hickok. Western scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth to cut Heights’ lead to 4-3, but the Huskies turned a double play to end that inning.
Thesier and Hickok both had two hits. Fulton totaled 11 strikeouts in the game, allowing just six hits. Brody Piel came in to get the final Panthers’ batter, striking him out to finish the game.
“I was happy for Luke Thesier tonight,” said Moffatt. “He had four great at bats and that lead-off triple was huge. Issiac Hickok had two big hits too, it was good to see him settling in a little after spending the winter in the gym. Alex Hewitt hit the shot we have been waiting for. He can really swing it.
“It’s just a great win for us, something we can build on moving forward. We have some young guys who are seeing some things they have never seen before. They are competitors and they will figure it out with time. Freshman Sam Allen’s RBI double to get the lead back to three ended up being huge. We will keep getting better and better with reps and confidence.”
The Huskies are 2-1 and host Western at 5:30 p.m. today to complete the conference series.
Hamilton Heights 4, Western 3
Heights AB R H RBI
Luke Thesier 4 1 2 0
Lucas Letsinger 3 1 1 0
Luke Stohler 3 0 1 0
Sam Fulton 4 0 0 0
Alex Hewitt 4 1 1 3
Erik Malott 2 0 0 0
Issiac Hickok 3 1 2 0
Andrew VanOeveren 3 0 0 0
Sam Allen 3 0 1 1
Totals 29 4 8 4
Score by innings
Heights 300 001 0 – 4 8 3
Western 000 102 0 – 3 6 0
HR: Hewitt. 3B: Thesier. 2B: Allen. SB: Malott. HBP: Stohler.
Heights pitching IP R ER H
Fulton (W) 6.2 3 1 6
Brody Piel (S) 0.1 0 0 0
Strikeouts: Fulton 11, Piel 1. Walks: Fulton 2.
Tigers beat Greenfield, Lukac ties school hits, doubles record
Fishers defeated the Greenfield-Central Cougars by a score of 10-5 Tuesday night.
The Tigers connected on 13 hits leading to their 10 runs. Nick Lukac led the way with four hits, including three doubles and a triple to go along with two RBIs. Lukac tied the school record for hits and doubles in a game.
Kaid Muth and Grant Whetsel both had a two-hit night with an RBI each. Muth’s two hits included a double. Daniel Owens knocked in two runs with an RBI triple and a sacrifice fly. Kiel Brenczewski contributed a double and an RBI sacrifice fly, while Dom Oliverio added an RBI single. Fishers was also very aggressive on the base paths stealing six bases on the night. Tristan Baker stole two and Muth, Collin Shelton, Charlie Walker, and JJ Woolwine each stole one.
The Tigers’ pitchers held the Cougars to only five hits, but were hampered by eight walks and five hit batters. Mason Sweeney (1-0) earned the win on the mound pitching three innings of relief. Sweeney allowed one hit, while striking out six. Michael Hart pitched a solid two innings of relief. Hart struck out three and only allowed one hit in the seven batters he faced. Hart was the only Fishers pitcher to not walk or hit a batter.
The Tigers return to HCC play this weekend when they host Noblesville at 6 p.m. Thursday. Game 2 of the series will be played at Noblesville at 6 p.m. Friday, with the final game at noon on Saturday at Fishers.
Fishers 10, Greenfield-Central 5
Fishers AB R H RBI
Nick Lukac 5 1 4 2
Collin Shelton 3 0 0 0
JJ Woolwine 3 1 1 0
Kiel Brenczewski 2 0 1 1
Kaid Muth 3 2 2 1
Daniel Owens 2 2 1 2
Dominic Oliverio 4 0 1 1
Grant Whetsel 4 1 2 1
Charlie Walker 4 1 1 0
Tristan Baker 0 2 0 0
Totals 30 10 13 8
Score by innings
Greenfield-Central 140 000 0 – 5 5 0
Fishers 401 410 x – 10 13 1
3B: Lukac, Owens. 2B: Lukac 3, Brenczewski, Muth. SB: Baker 2, Muth, Shelton, Walker, Woolwine. SAC: Brenczewski, Owens. HBP: Owens, Shelton, Woolwine.
Fishers pitching IP R ER H
Drew Louden 1 5 5 2
Mason Sweeney (W) 3 0 0 1
Michael Hart 2 0 0 1
Lukac 1 0 0 1
Strikeouts: Sweeney 6, Hart 3, Louden 2, Lukac 1. Walks: Sweeney 4, Louden 3, Lukac 1.
Shamrocks return with win at Mount Vernon
Westfield returned from Spring Break and picked up a 5-2 win at Mount Vernon on Tuesday.
The Shamrocks scored all of their runs in the first inning. Parker Bard got the first run, scoring on an RBI groundout from Tyler Smitherman. Zach Collins then doubled home Trey Anderson and Bryce Dorton. Kyle Pepiot smashed a triple into center field, sending Jack Lawrence in to score. Pepiot later stole home for Westfield’s fifth run.
Bard, Smitherman and Pepiot all had two hits. The Shamrocks used six pitchers in the game, with Payton Tamm throwing the first two innings for the win.
“I loved the start today after a long time off, but we went silent largely after the quick start,” said Westfield coach Ryan Bunnell. “We have to smell blood in the water and do a better job of putting a team away when in that situation. However, given our time off, I thought this was a good win for us heading into an HCC series with Brownsburg.”
The ‘Rocks are 3-1 and play their first game of the series with the Bulldogs Thursday at Brownsburg’s field.
Westfield 5, Mount Vernon 2
Westfield AB R H RBI
Parker Bard 3 1 2 0
Trey Anderson 4 1 1 0
Bryce Dorton 3 1 0 0
Tyler Smitherman 4 0 2 1
Zach Collins 4 0 1 2
Kyle Pepiot 3 1 2 1
Eli Patchett 2 0 0 0
Quentin Markle 1 0 0 0
AJ Bunnell 1 0 0 0
Austin Wessel 1 0 0 0
Payton Tamm 1 0 0 0
Jack Lawrence 0 1 0 0
Mason Cox 0 0 0 0
Totals 27 5 8 4
Score by innings
Westfield 500 000 0 – 5 8 3
Mount Vernon 001 000 1 – 2 5 0
3B: Pepiot. 2B: Collins. SB: Bard, Bunnell, Pepiot. HBP: Bard, Bunnell, Dorton.
Westfield pitching IP R ER H
Tamm (W) 2 0 0 0
Cox 1 1 1 2
Smitherman 1 0 0 0
Bard 1 0 0 0
Markle 1 0 0 1
Josh Stegner 1 1 0 2
Strikeouts: Cox 1, Smitherman 1, Bard 1, Markle 1, Stegner 1. Walks: Smitherman 2, Cox 1, Stegner 1.
Golden Eagles overwhelm Covenant Christian
Guerin Catholic overwhelmed Covenant Christian 13-0 on Tuesday in a five-inning Circle City Conference game on the road.
The Golden Eagles scored a run in the first inning, when Nate Bingman singled home Keenan Taylor. Guerin then erupted for 10 runs in the second inning. Wes Gingerich doubled in Sam Lewandowski, then Gavin Morrow scored on a wild pitch. Taylor hit a right field double to send Gingerich home.
Other RBIs came from Bennett Ely, who batted in Taylor, then Luke Godfrey lined a two-RBI double to center field to get Ely and Bingman home. Braden Reel kept it going with a two-RBI single to score Godfrey and Engelking.
Lewandowski smacked a triple into left field to send Reel home, and later scored on a fielder’s choice RBI from Lewandowski.
The Golden Eagles added two more runs in the fourth. Taylor doubled Lewandowski home, then Bingman’s single sent Taylor in to score.
Taylor and Bingman each had three hits, with Ely, Reel and Lewandowski all getting two hits. Engelking pitched a perfect three innings for the win, striking out three.
Guerin Catholic is 3-0 in conference play and 4-0 overall. The Golden Eagles will host Covenant Christian at 5:30 p.m. tonight to complete the series.
Guerin Catholic 13, Covenant Christian 0
(5 innings)
Guerin Catholic AB R H RBI
Keenan Taylor 4 3 3 3
Bennett Ely 4 1 2 1
Nate Bingman 3 1 3 2
Luke Godfrey 4 1 1 2
Max Engelking 3 1 0 0
Braden Reel 4 1 2 2
Sam Lewandowski 3 3 2 1
Gavin Morrow 2 1 1 0
Dominic Ferrucci 1 0 0 0
Wes Gingerich 2 1 1 1
Spencer Wilt 0 0 0 0
Totals 30 13 15 12
Score by innings
Guerin Catholic 1(10)0 20 – 13 15 0
Covenant Christian 000 00 – 0 3 1
3B: Lewandowski. 2B: Taylor 2, Gingerich, Godfrey, Lewandowski. SB: Taylor 2, Engelking, Lewandowski, Morrow.
Guerin Catholic pitching IP R ER H
Engelking (W) 3 0 0 0
RT Hall 2 0 0 3
Strikeouts: Engelking 3. Walks: Hall 2.
Trailblazers drop early week games
University dropped a pair of games early in the week.
On Monday, the Trailblazers lost to Speedway 8-4. The Sparkplugs scored three runs in the top of the first inning and never trailed in the game.
University scored its first run in the second inning, when Tyler Galyean batted in Nate Shatkowski. In the third inning, Shatkowski’s center field base hit sent Ben Ewer home. The ‘Blazers added two runs in the fourth inning, with Alex Washlock batting in Ben Westerkamm, and Galyean scoring on a pitcher’s balk.
Washlock, Shatkowski and Grayson Knight all had two hits. Jacob Lange threw five innings, striking out eight.
On Tuesday, University fell to Harrison on the road, 10-6. The Raiders scored twice in the bottom of the first inning before the Trailblazers got on the board.
University scored two runs in the top of the second. Westerkamm batted in Ewer with a right field double, then was sent home later on an RBI groundout from Lange. In the third inning, the ‘Blazers took a 3-2 lead when Dawson Estep doubled in Shatkowski.
But Harrison scored four runs in the fourth inning to take a 6-3 lead, and would stay in front for the remainder of the game. University kept fighting, though: Washlock scored in the fifth inning by stealing home, then in the sixth inning, Estep singled in Lange and Ethan Johnson scored on an error.
Washlock, Shatkowski and Estep all finished the game with two hits, with Shatkowski and Washlock both stealing two bases. University used three pitchers in the game, Adam Oxley threw five strikeouts.
The Trailblazers are 1-4-1 and host Muncie Burris on Thursday.
Speedway 8, University 4
University AB R H RBI
Dawson Estep 2 0 0 0
Alex Washlock 4 0 2 1
Ben Ewer 3 1 0 0
Matt Moore 1 0 0 0
Jacob Lange 3 0 1 0
Nate Shatkowski 4 1 2 1
Adam Oxley 4 0 0 0
Ben Westerkamm 2 1 1 0
Tyler Galyean 2 1 1 1
Grayson Knight 3 0 2 0
Ethan Johnson 0 0 0 0
Totals 28 4 9 3
Score by innings
Speedway 331 000 1 – 8 9 3
University 011 200 0 – 4 9 3
SB: Ewer, Knight, Shatkowski, Washlock, Westerkamm. HBP: Ewer.
University pitching IP R ER H
Moore 1.1 6 4 5
Lange 5.0 2 1 4
Oxley 0.2 0 0 0
Strikeouts: Lange 8, Moore 2, Oxley 1. Walks: Moore 2, Lange 2.
Harrison 10, University 6
University AB R H RBI
Alex Washlock 4 1 2 0
Nate Shatkowski 4 1 2 0
Dawson Estep 3 0 2 2
Matt Moore 2 0 0 0
Ben Ewer 3 1 0 0
Ben Westerkamm 4 1 1 1
Adam Oxley 3 0 0 0
Jacob Lange 3 1 0 1
Grayson Knight 3 0 0 0
Ethan Johnson 0 1 0 0
Totals 29 6 7 4
Score by innings
University 021 012 0 – 6 7 2
Harrison 200 422 x – 10 5 3
2B: Estep, Westerkamm. SB: Shatkowski 2, Washlock 2, Estep, Oxley. HBP: Ewer.
University pitching IP R ER H
Tyler Galyean 3.0 4 2 1
Oxley 2.2 6 6 3
Estep 0.1 0 0 1
Strikeouts: Oxley 5, Galyean 3, Estep 1. Walks: Galyean 7, Oxley 4, Estep 1.