Millers split HCC series with Avon, defeat Carroll to end weekend

By CRAIG ADKINS

For The Reporter

Noblesville 7, Carroll (Fort Wayne) 5

NOBLESVILLE – Noblesville’s midday tilt with Carroll (Fort Wayne) last Saturday was just what it needed after a tough game the night before. The Millers grabbed the lead in the second inning and were able to hold off a tough, feisty group of Chargers at Dunker Field, 7-5.

The Chargers got to starting pitcher Adam Gaskill in the first with a leadoff double from Jaxon Sparks. Two hitters later, Sparks scored on an RBI single by Zavier Edgar putting Carroll up 1-0.

Noblesville’s offense came alive in the home half of the second. Cole Schott walked with one out and was driven in by an Aiden Ramsey single to left to tie it 1-1. Garrett Dixon walked and scored, along with Ramsey on a Chris Martz two-run single for 3-1.

Carroll narrowed the gap to 3-2 in the top of the third on a sacrifice fly by Eli Neuhouser.

The Millers got runners on base in the bottom of the sixth in a more unusual way. Tanner Miller was hit by a pitch. After Schott flew out to left, Luke Hagelskamp and Ramsey were also hit by Jaxon Craker pitches to load the bases. Jalen Stidham pinch-hit for Dixon and walked, scoring Miller. Martz drove in his third run with a single through the hole at short, scoring Stidham for a 7-2 advantage.

“What I’m really happy about today is the fact that Reynolds is out and Martz steps in and plays great defense in that spot. I think he had two hits and three RBIs and played really good defense today,” said Noblesville head coach Justin Keever.

“Blake Riggs coming in and playing really good defense at second to give Trevor some rest. He’s made some really tough plays over there as well. Those guys I’d like to highlight today, just an excellent job, helping us win the ball game,” continued Keever.

“I thought Aiden Ramsey’s play in left field at the track, that is how you win ball games in baseball. Everyone wants to talk about what happens at the plate, how many hits somebody gets. It’s whoever keeps the other team from scoring, making routine plays, some not routine and we did that today,” stated Keever.

Reliever Ethan Kang went four solid innings and made way for Trevor Corbett to close it out.

“He (Kang) is one I wanted to point out, coming in too. Gaskill wasn’t bad early, just couldn’t find the slider. Kang came in and he’s been good. He’s tough to hit, competed, and handled that 4-1 putout from Riggs. That was a huge play with their best hitter,” Keever said.

“We walked their best hitter (Sparks), got a fly out, had an infield single, a couple of duck farts and three bloop singles over first base. Trevor was making good pitches,” Keever said.

The Chargers (2-3) made a good last-ditch effort to come back. With a leadoff walk and two batters getting hit by pitches, along with three base hits in a row, Carroll scored three runs to cut it to the 7-5 final.

Corbett held his own and trusted his defense with one out to earn the save. Tyler Morris grounded into a double play, leaving the bases loaded. Ethan Kang (2-0) collected his second win out of the bullpen.

The Millers (4-5) open the week tonight against Greenfield-Central (3-1).

Game 1: Noblesville 4, Avon 2 (Thursday)

Noblesville won its Hoosier Crossroads Conference opener last Thursday, beating Avon 4-2 at Dunker Field.

The Millers got on the board in the third inning when Miller hit a left field double to score Corbett and McCoy Fulk. The Orioles tied the game in the fifth inning, but Noblesville came back with two runs in the sixth. Schott scored the go-ahead run when Reynolds reached on an error, then Stidham got home on Corbett’s left field single.

Corbett had two hits in the game. Glander pitched a complete game, striking out 10 and allowing only three hits.

Game 2: Avon 6, Noblesville 3 (Friday)

Noblesville had a tall task heading to Avon last Friday night. Splitting the HCC series with Avon wasn’t what the Millers had in mind, but that’s exactly what happened as the Orioles took the second game, 6-3.

After Reynolds reached on an error by Oriole third baseman Gage Zollner, Chris Martz came in to pinch run and scored on a passed ball for the early 1-0 lead. Miller doubled to right, but was left on base.

Avon got aboard with three singles in the bottom of the first, scoring twice to get the 2-1 edge.

Miller singled to lead off and advanced to second on another error by Zollner. Miller scored on a passed ball to tie it up at 2-2 in the top of the fourth.

Clayton Lenz hit a three-run triple in the last of the fifth. Keegan Grubbs followed with an infield single that scored Lenz, putting the Orioles up 6-2.

Hagelskamp drove in Joe Glander for what was the final run of the game for the 6-3 final. The Millers had chances in the top of the seventh with three consecutives walks from Fulk, Corbett and Miller, but they would be left on base when Glander lined out to second to end the threat and the game.

“The thing with our schedule, it’s good that we learn from them (tough opponents). What the schedule does for us, the first week was a gauntlet, not in terms of the number of games, but the quality of opponents we were playing,” said Keever. “Then, you get conference week. Avon’s a really good club. They’re going to be making a run again in the tournament and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them at Victory Field.”