By RICHIE HALL
WESTFIELD – Friday’s Hoosier Crossroads Conference baseball game between Westfield and Brownsburg was an example of “so close, and yet so far,” for the host Shamrocks.
Westfield dropped a frustrating game to the Bulldogs 2-1, which resulted in a split for the HCC series. The ‘Rocks had a couple of scoring opportunities, including the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning, but couldn’t get a run across home plate.
“Offensively we had our opportunities and we just didn’t have the timely hits,” said Westfield coach Ryan Bunnell.
The Bulldogs scored their first run in the second inning. Jack Regashus got on base with a one-out double, then scored when Alec Murphy reached on error. The Shamrocks recovered quickly, as Brayden Hibler and Matt Drozlek combined for a double play to end the inning.
Both teams scored a run in the fourth inning. Regashus hit an RBI single in the top of the inning to put Brownsburg up 2-0. Westfield answered with a run in the bottom of the inning: Nick Alm drew a leadoff walk, after which Drew Law came in to run for him. Alex Rudolph’s left field hit moved Law to third, and Ty Anderson’s RBI fielder’s choice sent Law home.
The Bulldogs hit two singles in the top of the seventh inning, but an Anderson strikeout and a fielder’s choice finished the inning. Westfield’s Eli Manbeck hit a two-out single, then Lindsey and Hibler both got on base, but Brownsburg got the third out for the win.
Lindsey pitched the first inning, then Anderson came in for the next six. Anderson totaled seven strikeouts for the game. Lindsey hit a third-inning double.
“I thought Ty and Collin both pitched really well today,” said Bunnell.
Westfield is 2-2 in conference play and 4-3 overall, and travels to Carmel for a Monday game.
BROWNSBURG 2, WESTFIELD 1
Westfield AB R H RBI
Collin Lindsey 4 0 1 0
Brayden Hibler 2 0 0 0
Matt Drozlek 3 0 0 0
Evan Russ 3 0 0 0
Nick Alm 1 0 0 0
Alex Rudolph 3 0 1 0
Ty Anderson 3 0 0 1
Ian Wilson 3 0 0 0
Drew Law 0 1 0 0
Eli Manbeck 3 0 2 0
Totals 25 1 4 1
Score by innings
Brownsburg 010 100 0 – 2 5 1
Westfield 000 100 0 – 1 4 1
2B: Lindsey. SB: Hibler, Law. HBP: Drozlek, Hibler.
Westfield pitching IP R ER H
Lindsey 1 0 0 0
Anderson 6 2 1 5
Strikeouts: Anderson 7. Walks: Anderson 2, Lindsey 1.