By RICH TORRES
NOBLESVILLE – The Noblesville Millers forced defending state champion Cathedral to respond, and the Fighting Irish did – twice. But it was the Millers who had the final say.
Losing hold of two one-run leads on Monday night, Noblesville’s Zac Tuinei came through in the clutch for the Millers, lofting a walk-off two-out single in the bottom of the ninth to hand the Irish their first loss in nearly two years.
Top-ranked Cathedral (0-1) won the Class 4A state title last year with a perfect 29-0 record, but the ninth-ranked Millers (1-0) ended the streak with a 3-2 victory on opening night at The Dunk.
“This one is huge. This is one we had circled on the calendar, especially for our home opener,” Tuinei said. “It’s a big win.”
The moment was magnified with two runners in scoring position and Tuinei at the plate facing Cathedral right-hander Jared Poland, a Louisville commit.
Down in the count against Poland, Tuinei connected for an opposite-field fly ball into shallow right field, but with a steady rain falling from overhead the fielders lost sight of ball as it dropped untouched, scoring the decisive run.
“Usually that’s a fly ball and that’s an out, but on a night like this; you got rain coming down on your face and all that stuff. It makes it tough,” Noblesville head coach Justin Keever said. “But it’s a good first night. Our guys found a way to get it done.”
Noblesville led 1-0 after the first inning behind an RBI-single by DJ Owens to score IU-Kokomo recruit Mark Goudy from second base.
Goudy, who went 1-for-3, put the Millers up 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth with a two-out single through the gap in left field.
Opening night starter Tyler Owens, a Northwood University commit, minimized the damage by limiting the Irish to four hits over 5 1/3 innings pitched with three strikeouts. He was charged with an unearned run in the third inning as the Irish tied the game 1-1 on a throwing error.
“I congratulated them on the win, but we weren’t very good tonight,” Keever remarked. “It’s the first game, but we gave them a lot of freebies. We got killed in the freebie war tonight.”
The Millers had three fielding errors, but the players’ confidence in each other never wavered.
“We like to fight, and we work hard in the weight room. We have these things called finishers. They teach us to stay mentally tough,” Noblesville junior Reese Sharp said. “They make you want to bail out, but your teammates are always behind you and have your back. They don’t let you give up.”
Sharp, an Indiana University recruit, relieved Owens in the bottom of the sixth, striking out three in 2 2/3 innings of work with two hits surrendered.
The right-hander ran into some trouble in the top of the seventh after Cathedral’s Mack Murphy battled Sharp with a 10-pitch at-bat before he laced a double into right-center field. Seth Link followed with a one-out walk before Poland, who hit .438 last year, tied the game 2-2 with an RBI-single. Poland finished 2-for-5.
“I made a good pitch, but he put a swing on it and found a hole. Hats off to him, he’s a great player,” Sharp said. “The last few innings, my arm was getting tired, but Clay (Holzworth) came in and got the job done. It’s trust in our guys. We found a way.”
Poland threw the final 3 2/3 innings for the Irish, striking out seven batters and walking three. After he gave up Goudy’s RBI single in the bottom of the fifth, he settled down to retire nine straight, including six consecutive by strikeout.
Holzworth earned the win for the Millers in 1 inning of relief, quieting a potential threat in the top of the ninth with back-to-back strikeouts against Poland and Evan Uhland with two runners in scoring position.
“Our pitchers came in and did a really nice job in some tough spots,” Keever said. “Hats off to Holtzworth, coming in and getting the big guy out, Poland, with a strikeout and guys on second and third. Those are big outs there.”
The Millers were a tough out in the bottom of the ninth as Cooper Miles, an Indiana University recruit, and DJ Owens, who went 1-for-3, walked to open the frame.
A one-out grounder by Jacob Thieman moved both runners to third and second, setting up Tuinei’s heroics.
“We’re going to come out and keep putting on the pressure,” Tuinei said. “That’s something we always try to do. Obviously, it was a really close game and we had Reese’s back. That’s what we always try to do.”
The Millers now head south to Tennessee for three-day, four-game trip against Christian Academy, Bearden, Farragut and Maryville before returning home on April 3. They open the Hoosier Crossroads Conference against defending champion Fishers at home on April 5.
“The slates not going to get any easier, which is good because it prepares us for our conference series that we see every night,” Keever said. “Those 18 games are tough.”
The Noblesville baseball team was in celebration mode after it beat No. 1-ranked Cathedral 3-2 in nine innings Monday at Don Dunker Field. Zac Tuinei’s walk-off single with two outs to clinch the victory for the No. 9-ranked Millers. (Kent Graham)
Noblesville’s DJ Owens awaits a throw to second base during the Millers-Cathedral baseball game Monday. (Kent Graham)