No. 4 Millers complete sweep of Franklin Central

By CRAIG ADKINS

For The Reporter

NOBLESVILLE – Friday night’s cool weather didn’t slow down Noblesville against Franklin Central. It would take more than the temperature dropping to try and slow down the Millers’ offense.

Behind solid pitching from Nolan Decker and spreading out scoring over five different innings, Noblesville won its fifth game in a row, sweeping Franklin Central in the second game of the Hoosier Crossroads Conference series, 7-2.

Trevor Corbett led off the home half of the first, reaching on an error by right fielder Carson Back on a high fly ball. Corbett raced home on a wild pitch with Jacob Baker up for the early 1-0 lead.

Two batters later with two down, Aiden Ramsey faced an 0-2 count. The junior was hit by a Weston Harvey inside fastball, right on the face shield of his helmet. After several minutes, Ramsey would be back on his feet and helped to the dugout and would not return to the game.

The bottom of the order came through in the second. Blake Widget reached on an infield single and moved to second when Brady Bishop walked on four pitches. Corbett drove in Widget with his own infield base hit. Aiden Reynolds grounded out for the second out, plating Bishop to make it 3-0.

Decker got himself into a zone before any signs of trouble. The senior southpaw struck out eight in the first five innings, giving up just two hits and three total baserunners during that span.

“It’s one of Nolan’s strengths. He commands three pitches in the strike zone,” Noblesville head coach Justin Keever said.

Control was a big factor and that’s what Decker had in comparison to his counterpart Weston Harvey. Through four innings, Harvey had thrown twice as many (88) as Decker (44).

“Part of that pitch count stuff has a lot to do with our hitters. Our hitters’ approaches have just been really sound all year long. Just quality at-bat after quality at-bat. Regardless of what the box score says, every time we’re going to the plate, guys are having savage at-bats,” Keever continued.

Corbett grabbed his second RBI on a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Bishop for a 4-0 score in the fourth.

Tanner Miller scored on a wild pitch in the fifth with Bishop up for 5-0.

One big factor that keeps Noblesville in position to win is that it doesn’t matter who produces.

“When you have team at-bats, when it’s not just about you, but it’s about the team,” stated Keever.

Throughout the lineup, the Millers are capable of producing.

“Credit to our guys that just passed the baton all night long and really all season long to this point,” said Keever.

The Flashes got their first run on the board in the sixth and another in the seventh before Decker shut the door.

Noblesville scored three over the fifth and sixth innings to keep the visitors at a distance, holding on for the five-run victory, 7-2.

Decker (3-0) threw a complete game, striking out 10 and walking just two, while scattering six hits.

Aiden Reynolds went 2-for-3 with an RBI and scored. Trevor Corbett had two RBIs and Brady Bishop scored twice.

Noblesville (10-2) has an afternoon matchup today at home against Columbus North (7-1) at 1 p.m.