Tigers win fifth straight Mudsock, remain unbeaten in HCC

By RICHARD TORRES

For The Reporter

FISHERS – Known as the “Cardiac Cats” for their ability to come back late in most games, the Fishers Tigers needed no heroics to win Wednesday night at Hamilton Southeastern’s Ken Seitz Field.

Instead, the Class 4A second-ranked Tigers (13-2, 7-0 HCC) simply did what they do best, defeating Hoosier Crossroads Conference foe HSE, 5-1, to seize their fifth consecutive Mudsock baseball trophy.

Senior second baseman Mayo Fernandez went 2-for-3 with three RBI, including one in the top of the second and two more in the fourth, while senior starter Owen Sanders pitched a complete-game four hitter.

“Mudsock is always huge. No matter how good the team is doing or how bad a team is doing, you know you’re going to have to come out and compete,” said Fernandez, a Grace College commit. “These are all our buddies, so you want it just as bad. You want to win.”

The Tigers have won every designated Mudsock game since 2021 – customarily the first contest when the rival programs contend in a two-game series.

HSE’s last Mudsock series victory (2-1) was in 2019. Overall, the Tigers have captured the prize 12 times since 2010, including during the former three-game HCC series format (2015-2024).

“That’s just something that sits with us. You want to pass it on. Keep it going, so once we graduate, the younger guys can keep it going. That’s just something we want, to win the Mudsock every year,” Fernandez said. “That’s what we look forward to.”

The Fishers’ lineup produced six hits led by Fernandez and fellow Grace recruit and senior Luke Cherry (2-for-3), who kicked off the top of the second with a double.

Fernandez drove in Cherry with a two-out RBI single to put Fishers up 1-0.

In the top of the fourth, Fernandez came through with one out and the bases loaded by lacing a hard ground ball into left field that plated two runs, as an error moved him over to second base. HSE had two errors in the frame.

A two-out single by Brady Carman (1-for-3), an Indiana Tech recruit, increased the Tigers’ lead to 5-0 in the fourth.

“They’ve put up like 28 runs in their last three games, so it’s never an easy task in the HCC,” Fishers coach Matthew Cherry remarked on facing HSE (6-11, 0-7 HCC). “The records are never what they look like in the HCC. Anybody can beat anybody on a given night, so we had to come ready to play.”

HSE starter Michael Hoog, a Depauw commit, pitched 7.0 innings with six hits allowed, two earned runs, two walks and seven strikeouts.

“Michael did a great job for them. I watched him throw against Avon, and that score wasn’t indicative to how well he threw, so we knew it was going to be a battle,” Cherry said.

Sanders, a Saint Xavier commit, won the duel by striking out six, walking four and allowing one unearned run to improve to 4-0 this season.

Last year, Sanders earned the save when Fishers beat HSE, 7-6 in the first of three games. The Tigers won the series 2-1.

“He’s a competitor. I’d like him to limit some of the walks he’s been putting out there, but his ball moves just enough and changes speeds enough to keep everybody off balance and gets a lot of bad contact,” Cherry said.

Fernandez has been locked in since April 19, going 8-for-17 with nine RBI the past five games. He’s driven in seven runs the past three contests.

“He’s been really red hot. He’s doing awesome. He’s totally bought in and doing great. He’s really helped us out with two strikes and two outs, battling at the plate. He’s been doing that for the last couple of weeks,” Cherry said.

The teams are scheduled to complete their two-game series today at Fishers. A win would secure Fishers’ fourth HCC series sweep.

“You’re only as good as your next one. That’s what my dad used to tell me, so we’ll see how we do tomorrow,” Cherry said.