Westfield and Hamilton Southeastern won first-round games on opening night at the Class 4A Sectional 8 baseball tournament at Noblesville’s Don Dunker Field.
The Shamrocks won the first game, beating defending 4A state champion Fishers 5-1. Westfield was on top from the start: Trey Anderson hit a leadoff double, then was brought in to score by Bryce Dorton’s right field double. Zach Collins was next, and he hit a two-run home run, also getting Dorton home.
That gave Westfield a 3-0 lead in the first inning, and the ‘Rocks extended it to 5-0 with two runs in the second inning. Luke Hutson had a two-RBI hit into centerfield, sending in Jack Lawrence and Maximus Webster.
Parker Bard got the pitching win, striking out six in six innings of work and allowing only three hits. Mason Cox finished the game with a perfect seventh inning, including two strikeouts.
“The start to the game was big for us, three batters in and up 3-0, I couldn’t have scripted it better,” said Westfield coach Ryan Bunnell. “Baker has been really good so for us to put together the at bats that we did was great. Parker Bard gave us a quality start as well.”
Fishers got its run in the second inning, when Daniel Owens hit a solo home run into left field. Kaid Muth had two of the Tigers’ hits, both were doubles.
Jon Vore threw five strikeouts in five and two-thirds innings of relief. Fishers finished its season 15-16.
In the second game, Hamilton Southeastern poured it on late to beat North Central 7-0. The game was scoreless through four innings, but the Royals broke through in the bottom of the fifth, when Cole DeWael singled home Anthony Eggers.
That was a sneak preview for the sixth inning, in which Southeastern scored six runs. Jake Huston scored when Cam Bolling drew a bases-loaded walk. Matthew Buckingham got home on a passed ball, then Jake Stout scored after Brayton Harrison was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. That brought up Greyson Droste, and he sent a double into left field that scored Bolling, DeWael and Harrison.
While all this was going on, Tyler Schweitzer was pitching an outstanding game. Schweitzer totaled 15 strikeouts, only allowing two hits and two walks.
“We hit some balls hard, but they were in the air,” said Royals coach Jeremy Sassanella. “This is a big yard. They’ve got some really good athletes who can run balls down.”
DeWael and Stout both finished the game with two hits.
Westfield and Southeastern will meet in the first semi-final game, to be played at 5:30 p.m. Friday. The second semi-final will feature Carmel and host Noblesville
“We’ll have a tough test on Friday, it will be fun to watch our guys compete,” said Bunnell.
“They’re going to be bring it,” said Sassanella. “They’re a very, very quality ball club. We’re going to have to play really well. But it’ll be a battle. But that’s what this sectional is and again, that’s what our league is.”
Westfield 5, Fishers 1
Westfield AB R H RBI
Trey Anderson 4 1 1 0
Bryce Dorton 4 1 1 1
Zach Collins 3 1 1 2
Kyle Pepiot 4 0 0 0
Tyler Smitherman 3 0 1 0
Payton Tamm 3 0 0 0
Jack Lawrence 3 1 1 0
Maximus Webster 2 1 1 0
Luke Hutson 3 0 1 2
Austin Wessel 0 0 0 0
Totals 29 5 7 5
HR: Collins. 2B: Anderson, Dorton. SB: Hutson, Webster. HBP: Collins.
Westfield pitching IP R ER H
Parker Bard (W) 6 1 1 3
Mason Cox 1 0 0 0
Strikeouts: Bard 6, Cox 2. Walks: Bard 3.
Fishers AB R H RBI
JJ Woolwine 4 0 0 0
Grant Whetsel 2 0 0 0
Nick Lukac 3 0 0 0
Kiel Brenczewski 2 0 0 0
Kaid Muth 3 0 2 0
Dominic Oliverio 3 0 0 0
Daniel Owens 3 1 1 1
Ethan Davies 1 0 0 0
Jack Braun 1 0 0 0
Collin Shelton 2 0 0 0
Charlie Walker 0 0 0 0
Totals 24 1 3 1
HR: Owens. 2B: Muth 2. HBP: Whetsel.
Fishers pitching IP R ER H
Tristan Baker 1.1 5 5 6
Jon Vore 5.2 0 0 1
Strikeouts: Vore 5, Baker 1. Walks: Vore 1.
Score by innings
Westfield 320 000 0 – 5 7 1
Fishers 010 000 0 – 1 3 1
Hamilton Southeastern 7, North Central 0
Southeastern AB R H RBI
Anthony Eggers 4 1 1 0
Cole DeWael 3 1 2 1
Brayton Harrison 2 1 0 1
Greyson Droste 3 0 1 3
Jake Huston 3 1 0 0
Jack DeWolf 1 0 0 0
Matthew Buckingham 2 1 0 0
Jake Stout 3 1 2 0
Cam Bolling 2 1 0 1
Jordan Millikan 0 0 0 0
Totals 23 7 6 6
Score by innings
North Central 000 000 0 – 0 2 1
Southeastern 000 016 x – 7 6 0
2B: Droste. SB: DeWael 4, Bolling, Harrison. SAC: DeWolf. HBP: Harrison.
Southeastern pitching IP R ER H
Tyler Schweitzer 7 0 0 2
Strikeouts: Schweitzer 15. Walks: Schweitzer 2.
Hamilton Southeastern’s Cam Bolling (3) drew a bases-loaded walk in the sixth inning, and that was the first of six runs scored by the Royals in that inning. Southeastern beat North Central 7-0 in a first-round Sectional 8 game Wednesday at Noblesville’s Don Dunker Field. (Richie Hall)