By CRAIG ADKINS
sports@readthereporter.com
The Brownsburg-Noblesville Hoosier Crossroads Conference series shifted to a doubleheader on Thursday at Dunker Field with the impending inclement weather for Friday. The first of the twin bill served as Brownsburg’s designated home game.
The Millers spread out their runs strategically en route to holding on for a 3-2 league win in the first game.
Trevor Corbett and Aiden Reynolds led off with back-to-back singles. Nolan Decker grounded out to short with one out that scored Corbett for an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first.
Decker would help his own cause in the top of the third. The junior hit a sacrifice fly to right that scored pinch runner McCoy Fulk from third for a 2-0 advantage.
Brownsburg cut into the Noblesville lead in the bottom of the third. Caden Dougherty took a one-out triple off of the glove of Aiden Ramsey to left center. Dougherty scored on a double to right center that narrowed the gap to 2-1.
Noblesville tacked on another run in the top of the fifth. Trevor Corbett wasted no time, dropping down a lead off bunted that rolled behind pitcher Mason Tibbs. Corbett advanced to second on a passed ball and then scored on a double by Aiden Reynolds, pushing the lead to 3-1.
The Bulldogs added another run in the bottom of the sixth. Colin McNeer doubled with one out and was driven in on Mason Tibbs single up the middle for a 3-2 count that would wind up as the final.
Decker struck out six Bulldogs in 5.2 innings to get the win. Lucas Stephan came on for the save in the sixth and fanned three of the seven hitters he faced.
Reynolds led with three hits, while Corbett and Ramsey each had two.
***
Game two started as a pitcher’s duel. Neither Walker Brodt nor Bryce Riggs gave up a hit until the third.
Nathan Walsh had a one out triple to center, but was stranded at third on Riggs’ seventh strikeout.
Tyler Utterback singled to shallow right center with one out. Trevor Corbett doubled to right to send Utterback home for 1-0.
Aiden Reynolds walked for two on. Bryce Riggs got hit by a pitch to load the bases. Nolan Decker then grounded into right, playing both Corbett and Reynolds for 3-0.
Jack Shade reached on an infield single, sending Decker home and upping the score to 4-0.
Riggs was cruising on the mound, whiffing 13 on the night, including striking out the side to end the game. This is his second consecutive outing with 13 strikeouts. The win moves the senior right-hander to 6-0 on the season.
He scattered seven hits over seven innings, while yielding no walks to the Bulldogs.
The HCC series sweep of Brownsburg (9-10, 3-9 HCC) improves Noblesville to 18-5 overall and 9-3 in HCC action.
The Millers are off until hosting 3A No. 2 Guerin Catholic (20-2) in a battle of highly-ranked foes on Monday at 7 p.m.