University opened Pioneer Conference play with a 17-3, five-inning victory over Muncie Burris Thursday at the Trailblazers’ home field at RoundTripper Academy.
University got going early, scoring six runs in the first inning. That included an RBI double from Adam Oxley, and RBI singles by Ben Westerkamm, Tyler Galyean, Matt Moore and Ethan Johnson.
The Trailblazers added nine more runs in the third inning, with Alex Washlock smashing a three-run double into left field. Ben Ewer added a two-RBI single. University finished the game with two runs in the fourth, with Mitchell Price batting in both runs.
“You’re always happy to get a win,” said UHS coach Chris Estep. It was a good victory for the Trailblazers after they started with a 1-4-1 record, including a trip to Tennessee to play some of the top teams from around the Southern states.
“We have had very difficult games leading up to this, playing bigger schools,” said Estep. The coach said doing so has “been phenomenal for our guys,” as it has allowed the Trailblazers to see more difficult competition, making themselves better as a result.
“There’s a difference,” said Estep. “The more that we can play at higher levels, the better our team’s going to be at tournament time.”
Westerkamm, Ewer and Oxley all had two hits. Nate Shatkowski pitched four innings for the win, striking out six and allowing only two hits.
University is now 2-4-1 for the season. The ‘Blazers are next in action Monday, playing at Western Boone.
University 17, Muncie Burris 3
(5 innings)
University AB R H RBI
Alex Washlock 3 1 1 3
Gabe Mervis 1 0 0 0
Nate Shatkowski 1 1 0 0
Ian Smitley 0 1 0 0
Dawson Estep 2 2 1 0
Grayson Knight 1 1 1 0
Ben Westerkamm 3 1 2 2
RJ Burns 0 0 0 0
Ben Ewer 2 3 2 2
Neil Pettinga 1 0 0 0
Tyler Galyean 3 2 1 1
Mitchell Price 1 0 1 2
Matt Moore 1 2 1 1
Anthony Rey 1 0 1 0
Adam Oxley 4 2 2 2
Ethan Johnson 2 1 1 1
Totals 26 17 14 14
Score by innings
Muncie Burris 011 01 – 3 2 3
University 609 2x – 17 14 1
2B: Oxley, Washlock. SB: Ewer 2, Estep, Galyean, Westerkamm. HBP: Johnson, Moore.
University pitching IP R ER H
Shatkowski (W) 4 2 2 2
Knight 1 1 1 0
Strikeouts: Shatkowski 6, Knight 1. Walks: Shatkowski 2, Knight 2.
Royals beat Eagles, stay unbeaten
Hamilton Southeastern improved its record to 4-0 with a 3-2 Hoosier Crossroads Conference win at Zionsville on Thursday.
The Eagles scored a run in the third inning, but the Royals took the lead for good with two runs in the fifth. Cam Bolling hit a two-out double to score Jake Stout and Jake Hutson. Southeastern added another run in the top of the seventh when Stout got home on a wild pitch. Zionsville got a run back in the bottom of the seventh, but Matt Dillon ended the game with a strikeout.
Dillon threw a complete game, striking out four and allowing only five hits. Brayton Harrison had two hits for the Royals.
Southeastern is 4-0 overall and will host Zionsville at 6 p.m. tonight to complete the HCC series.
Hamilton Southeastern 3, Zionsville 2
Southeastern AB R H RBI
Matthew Buckingham 3 0 0 0
Anthony Eggers 3 0 1 0
Cole DeWael 3 0 1 0
Brayton Harrison 3 0 2 0
Greyson Droste 3 0 0 0
Jack DeWolf 2 0 1 0
Jake Huston 3 1 0 0
Cam Bolling 3 0 1 2
Jordan Millikan 2 0 0 0
Jake Stout 0 2 0 0
Totals 25 3 6 2
Score by innings
Southeastern 000 020 1 – 3 6 3
Zionsville 001 000 1 – 2 5 0
2B: Bolling. SB: Huston, Stout.
Southeastern pitching IP R ER H
Michael Dillon 7 2 0 5
Strikeouts: Dillon 4. Walks: Dillon 3.
Shamrocks cruise past Bulldogs
Westfield scored early, in the middle and often during its 11-3 Hoosier Crossroads Conference win Thursday at Brownsburg.
The Shamrocks got runs in each of the first five innings, starting with three in the top of the first. Trey Anderson doubled in Jack Lawrence, Tyler Smitherman’s base hit sent Anderson home, then Smitherman scored on an RBI groundout by Zach Collins.
Austin Wessel smacked a home run into center field in the second inning, and Bryce Dorton later singled home Payton Tamm, putting Westfield up 5-1. Wessel struck again in the third inning, with an RBI double to score Kyle Pepiot. Parker Bard bunted in Andy Manzur, then on the next at bat, Wessel scored on a wild pitch and Lawrence (who ran for Bard) scored on an error.
Dorton hit a lead-off home run in the fourth inning to get the ‘Rocks up 10-1. In the fifth inning, Anderson hit a center field homer, making it three home runs for Westfield in the game.
“We had a really good night offensively,” said Shamrocks coach Ryan Bunnell. “Austin Wessel, Trey Anderson and Bryce Dorton all had big nights for us.”
Bard got the pitching win, throwing three and two-thirds innings with five strikeouts against three hits. Eli Patchett worked two and two-thirds innings, striking out four.
“Parker Bard didn’t have his best stuff tonight but he still found a way to be effective and limit some potent Brownsburg hitters,” said Bunnell.
The coach said that as well as his team played, there was still “a lot of room for growth which is what is exciting about this team. If we continue to grow, we can develop into a pretty dangerous club.”
Westfield is 3-0 in the conference and 4-1 overall. The Shamrocks host Brownsburg at 6 p.m. tonight to complete the HCC series.
Westfield 11, Brownsburg 3
Westfield AB R H RBI
Parker Bard 4 0 1 1
Jack Lawrence 0 2 0 0
Trey Anderson 3 2 2 2
Luke Hutson 1 0 0 0
Bryce Dorton 4 1 2 2
Tyler Smitherman 4 1 1 1
AJ Bunnell 1 0 0 0
Zach Collins 4 0 2 1
Kyle Pepiot 3 1 2 0
Andy Manzur 5 1 1 0
Austin Wessel 4 2 4 2
Payton Tamm 3 1 0 0
Drew Coy 0 0 0 0
Totals 36 11 15 9
Score by innings
Westfield 324 110 0 – 11 15 2
Brownsburg 100 010 1 – 3 6 4
HR: Anderson, Dorton, Wessel. 2B: Anderson, Wessel. SB: Lawrence, Tamm. HBP: Collins, Dorton, Tamm.
Westfield pitching IP R ER H
Bard (W) 3.2 1 1 3
Josh Stegner 0.1 0 0 0
Eli Patchett 2.2 2 2 3
Quentin Markle 0.1 0 0 0
Strikeouts: Bard 5, Patchett 4, Stegner 1, Markle 1. Walks: Patchett 4, Bard 3.