Royals sweep both Knoxville games, Golden Eagles split at Grand Park, Millers drop two in Knoxville

The REPORTER

Hamilton Southeastern won two games Friday at the ETBCA Tournament in Knoxville, Tenn.

First, the Royals took care of Lawrence County (Ky.) 8-2 in six innings. Clark Bucher scored Southeastern’s first run in the second inning on a wild pitch. Jackson Bixler got home in the fourth inning on a passed ball, then Maddux Bach scored on a Braeden Totton single in the fifth inning. Bach had led off the inning with a double.

The Bulldogs scored both of their runs in the sixth inning, but the Royals responded with five runs in the bottom of the sixth. Kian Kelly scored on an error, then Deacon Lewis got home on a wild pitch. Bucher tripled in Bach, then scored on another wild pitch. Colin Kendrick singled in Carter Reed to complete the scoring.

Parker O’Steen and Ty Earlewine both hit a double. Michael Hoog pitched a complete game, striking out 10.

Southeastern got a walkoff victory in its second game, beating Independence (W. Va.) 10-9 in four innings.

The Patriots scored a run in the first inning, but the Royals struck back with six runs in the bottom of the first. Kendrick hit a three-run double, scoring O’Steen, Bucher and Lewis. Cy Cole had a two-RBI base hit to bring in Kendrick and Bixler, then Cole scored on Kelly’s single.

Chase Bradle hit a sacrifice fly in the second inning to bring in Bach, making the score 7-1. Independence came back with eight runs in the fourth inning to lead 9-7. In the bottom of the fourth, Bixler led off with a single, then was sent home by a Bradle double. Kelly singled in Bradle to tie the game, the Royals loaded the bases, then Evan Burns’ center field singled scored Kelly and clinched the win.

Kelly, Bixler and Burns all had two hits. Starter Johann Dierker had seven strikeouts in 3.1 innings, with Tyler Sarver getting the win.

Southeastern is 2-1 and plays two more games in Knoxville today.

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Guerin Catholic played two games at Grand Park on Friday.

The Golden Eagles took on Zionsville in their first game and won 16-13. The Eagles scored five runs in the top of the first inning, but Guerin Catholic blasted back with 11 runs in the bottom of the first.

Nolan Ratcliff and Karson Smith started the inning with base hits, then were sent home when Ian Taylor hit a right field triple. Grant Beard scored Taylor with a double, then Ben Canada’s right field hit brought in Beard.

The Golden Eagles loaded the bases, then Ratcliff hit a line drive to score Canada and Tate Troxell. Smith cracked a triple into right field, sending home Luke Gremelspacher and Ratcliff, and GC led 8-5. Smith scored on a wild pitch, Carson Kail singled in Taylor, then Canada batted Brody Cain home with a center field single.

After all that, Guerin Catholic led 11-5. Zionsville rallied in the third inning with five runs, cutting the Golden Eagles’ lead to 11-10. Guerin scored in the bottom of the third when Beard singled Smith home, making GC’s lead 12-10.

Zionsville tied the game with two runs in the fourth inning, but the Golden Eagles took the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth when Taylor doubled Finn Holden home. Guerin Catholic added three runs in the sixth inning: Ratcliff got home on a wild pitch, Smith scored when Canada drew a bases-loaded walk, then Troxell drew a walk to bring Taylor home.

Smith went 4-for-5 at the plate, including two doubles, while Beard was 3-for-3. Taylor also hit a triple and totaled three RBIs, with Canada also getting three RBIs. Drew Smith had four strikeouts in three innings.

Guerin Catholic lost to Avon 8-3 in its second game. The Golden Eagles scored a run in the top of the first inning when Beard singled in Taylor, but the Orioles put up seven runs in the bottom of the first to take control of the game.

Ratcliff led off the third inning with a triple, then scored on Taylor’s RBI groundout. Ratcliff hit another triple in the fifth inning; Smith sent him home with a single. Tyler Larsh struck out three in 3.1 innings.

The Golden Eagles are 3-1 and host Bishop Chatard Tuesday to begin Circle City Conference play.

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Noblesville dropped two games at the ETBCA Tournament in Knoxville on Friday.

The Millers lost to Knoxville Catholic 10-6 in their first game. Both teams scored a run in the first inning; Aiden Reynolds got Noblesville’s run on a wild pitch.

The Millers put up three runs in the top of the second inning. Luke Hagelskamp led off with a double, then scored on an error. Reynolds doubled in Jalen Stidham. McCoy Fulk scored on a passed ball to give Noblesville a 4-1 lead.

The Fighting Irish came back in the bottom of the second with five runs, including a grand slam to put Knoxville Catholic ahead 6-4. The Irish added four runs in the fourth inning on two homers to lead 10-4. Noblesville scored twice in the sixth inning, with Stidham hitting a double to bring in Eli Hall, and Hagelskamp batting in Stidham.

The Millers fell to Bearden 3-2 in their second game. Noblesville scored both of its runs in the fourth inning: Stidham was sent home by Cole Schott’s RBI groundout, then Aiden Ramsey batted in Adam Gaskill with a single. Bearden tied the game with two runs in the fifth and scored the go-ahead run in the sixth.

Joe Glander pitched a complete game, striking out seven against two hits.

Noblesville is 1-4 and finishes play today with a 1:30 p.m. game with Christian Academy of Knoxville.