4A Sectional 9 at Zionsville: Fishers 3, Noblesville 2
We got one last glimpse of the Ryan Byrne that we've all known for the past 4 seasons. He threw a total of 80 pitches, 61 for strikes. His fastball was pin-point on the mark. His off-speed pitches were throwing the Fishers hitters off a little from time to time.
It wasn't until the bottom of the 4th that the Tigers got a rhythm going at the plate. Drew Clark led off with a single to center. Matt Woolwine climbed aboard with an infield single. It didn't seem like JP Pena's at-bat would ever end. Pena had an saw 11 pitches, finally ending his at-bat with a two-run single to left. That hit drove home Clark and Woolwine for a 2-0 Fishers lead. Pena tried stretching it to a double, which was a horrible idea. You should never test the arm of Derek Asuras, no matter which outfield spot he's playing in. Asuras gunned down Pena at second base from left with a throw to shortstop Tanner Watson, who put the tag on Pena. That throw out at second ignited the Miller defense. The Fishers battery of Chris Patrick and Ant Roach were consecutively the final outs of the inning.
Seth Rayle started the top of the 5th off for Noblesville with a hit to Pena at short that resulted in an error on Pena, because he threw the ball in the dirt to Clark at first. Rayle stole 2nd with Hammond up. Hammond drove Rayle in with a stroke down the third baseline to being the score to 2-1, Fishers.
With two quick outs, it looked like the Millers would be back to bat sooner than Fishers could blink. It was short-lived, but Fishers made good use of their 5th inning. Connor McCalley belted a triple to deep center field over the head of Caleb Shore. Koby Orris hit a groundball to the hole at short and made it difficult to Tanner Watson to make the throw in time, giving Orris an infield single and an RBI, scoring McCalley from third. Fishers was now up 3-1 and Nobleville's back was to the wall, with no room for flaws from there on.
Watson wasn't happy with his play in the field during he previous half inning, so he made up for it when he led off the top of the 6th inning. Tanner smoked a double to the wall in left, getting the Miller bench and faithful in the stands to their feet. Jamerson Brock then smacked his own double to left, scoring Watson from second to close the Fishers lead to 3-2.
It only took Byrne 6 pitches in the sixth to end the inning. Woolwine flied out to right. Pena struckout looking. And Chris Patrick grounded out to Watson at short.
JP Pena came on in the top of the 7th in relief of Ant Roach, who held Noblesville in check for the most part. The Millers went quickly and unfortunately quietly in their final chance during the top of the seventh. Brock Hammond flied out to left. Patrick Rader pinch-hit and struck out. Derek Asuras hit a grounder just to the first base side of the mound. Pena picked the ball up and tossed it to Drew Clark at first to end the game and Noblesville's season.
Fishers (19-12) advances to the semifinals to face the host and 4A #8 Zionsville (22-5) in the first game on Monday at 11am. Zionsville advanced with a victory in Friday night's continued game from Wednesday night's rainout. They defeated Carmel 6-0 in that continuation game. Carmel finished with a 9-20 record, while Noblesville wound up with a 14-17 record. The second semifinal game will feature Hamilton Southeastern (14-15) against Westfield (10-16). The 4A Sectional 9 championship game will be at 7:30 Monday night.
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