After the Millers won a confident 6-2 victory on Tuesday night at home vs. Hamilton Southeastern, they were hoping repeat the same as they made the short trip to visit the Royals on Thursday night. HSE escaped with a 4-2 win to split the HCC series with Hamilton county rival Noblesville.
Noblesville 6, Hamilton Southeastern 2 (Tuesday)
When Noblesville picked up their bats in the bottom of the 1st, they had a different attitude about them that they hadn't had recently. The dugout was more upbeat and they seemed primed for a win. After Derek Asuras flied out to right, the Miller offense got started. The first pitch Tanner Watson saw, he layed down a beautiful bunt down the third base line and out of reach for P Alex Woodcock or 3B Joel Naab, giving Watson a one-out bunt single. Dewey Rodgers walked on four straight pitches. Austin Ramey roped a 1-2 pitch to left, scoring Watson. That would be all that NHS would threat, for the time being.
Noblesville starting pitcher Kent Williams and Hamilton Southeastern's Taylor Hackett, who relieved Woodcock after one inning, kept each opponent's bats in check for the next three innings. The Royals stranded five runners and Millers just one.
HSE got Grant Kistler aboard to lead off the 5th with an error on Miller 3B Dewey Rodgers. Kistler advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Justin Streibel. Wes Edrington singled to left to drive in Kistler, tying the game at 1-1.
The Miller half of the 5th was a little more generous for the hosts. On a 1-0 count, senior CF Caleb Shore drilled a solo home run, the first of his career, over right fild wall for a 2-1 NHS lead. Asuras smacked a single to shallow center and was bunted over by Watson. Rodgers was intentionally walked to give Noblesville Asuras at 2nd and Rodgers at 1st. Austin Ramey then smoked a three-run home run, his 2nd of the season, over the left-center wall, extending the Millers' lead to 4-1. Patrick Rader pinch-hit for DH Ryan Byrne, doubling to deep center and scoring soon after on an RBI groundout by Seth Rayle. This gave NHS a little more cushion at 5-1.
Noblesville 6, Hamilton Southeastern 2 (Tuesday)
When Noblesville picked up their bats in the bottom of the 1st, they had a different attitude about them that they hadn't had recently. The dugout was more upbeat and they seemed primed for a win. After Derek Asuras flied out to right, the Miller offense got started. The first pitch Tanner Watson saw, he layed down a beautiful bunt down the third base line and out of reach for P Alex Woodcock or 3B Joel Naab, giving Watson a one-out bunt single. Dewey Rodgers walked on four straight pitches. Austin Ramey roped a 1-2 pitch to left, scoring Watson. That would be all that NHS would threat, for the time being.
Noblesville starting pitcher Kent Williams and Hamilton Southeastern's Taylor Hackett, who relieved Woodcock after one inning, kept each opponent's bats in check for the next three innings. The Royals stranded five runners and Millers just one.
HSE got Grant Kistler aboard to lead off the 5th with an error on Miller 3B Dewey Rodgers. Kistler advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Justin Streibel. Wes Edrington singled to left to drive in Kistler, tying the game at 1-1.
The Miller half of the 5th was a little more generous for the hosts. On a 1-0 count, senior CF Caleb Shore drilled a solo home run, the first of his career, over right fild wall for a 2-1 NHS lead. Asuras smacked a single to shallow center and was bunted over by Watson. Rodgers was intentionally walked to give Noblesville Asuras at 2nd and Rodgers at 1st. Austin Ramey then smoked a three-run home run, his 2nd of the season, over the left-center wall, extending the Millers' lead to 4-1. Patrick Rader pinch-hit for DH Ryan Byrne, doubling to deep center and scoring soon after on an RBI groundout by Seth Rayle. This gave NHS a little more cushion at 5-1.
Kent Williams struck out the side in the Royals' top half of the sixth, two were rung up looking. Despite allowing Mitch Roman to drive in Justin Streibel, Williams wasn't phased at all. He struck out Sean Green and Sean Davis consecutively to end the game and the HSE threat, 6-2. Kent now has a team-leading 5-3 record.
Hamilton Southeastern 4, Noblesville 2 (Thursday)
The host Royals didn't waste any time at all in getting to Miller starting pitcher Derek Asuras. They roughed DA up in the bottom of the first with 3 walks, two hits and two runs, while leaving the bases loaded.
Sam Wides drilled a two-out double to left-center, but it was nullified when he was caught leading off second base in the 2nd.
Asuras led off the top of the third with a walk, something he's used to lately. Stealing second, he was driven home on an RBI-double by Rodgers to deep center. That cut the Hamilton Southeastern lead to 2-1.
HSE pitcher Steven Curry led off the third with a double to left. He then scored one hitter later when Grant Kistler reached via an error by third basemen Dewey Rodgers. Then, with one out, Joel Naab flied out to right. Blake Kistler tried scoring from third, but was gunned down at the plate by RF Patrick Rader on a rope to Wides at home.
Seth Rayle led off the fourth with a single to shallow center, but he was stranded at third. Nevin Fansher, Caleb Shore and Wides committed three outs in a row to end the fourth with a runner in scoring position at third.
DH Kyle Ray started the Royal fourth off with a double to left-center. Wes Edrington and Justin Streibel popped out in two straight at-bats. With two outs, Mitch Roman drove in his second run of the series, singling to right, allowing Ray to score from second and up their lead to 4-1.
Asuras tried to help his own mound cause, but walked for the second time. He advanced to second on a passed ball. With a 2-2 count, Tanner Watson sailed a ball down the right field line for an RBI triple and closing the Millers' deficit to 4-2. It didn't help matters that Rodgers, Ramey and Rader struckout in three straight at-bats to end the 5th.
Hamilton Southeastern brought in relief pitcher Evan Rice to try shutting down Noblesville for good. Rice came in with two outs in the 6th, throwing just one pitch and forcing Watson to hit a grounder to second for the force out of Asuras at second for the final out of in the top of six.
Noblesville relief pitcher Brock Hammond retired the first three Royals in the bottom of the sixth, in hopes of getting the Millers another shot at scoring runs. Instead, it was the complete opposite. Rodgers and Austin Ramey both flied out to right. Rader was NHS's last resort. Facing a 1-1 count, Rader fouled a ball sky high down the first base side along the fence. 1B Sean Davis, who is probably 6'4, used his long arm and reached just over the fence, catching the foul ball for the final out of the game.
This was a hard fought series between the Millers (10-14) and Royals (11-11) and could very well be a preview of a possible rematch in the Class 4A Sectional at Zionsville.
The IHSAA will draw the 45th Annual IHSAA Baseball State Tournament pairings on Tuesday, May 17th at 8:00 a.m.
Noblesville hosts the 1st Annual Noblesville Classic with Twin Lakes, Mississienewa and Hamilton Heights coming to town for a four-game Saturday at Dunker Field. Hamilton Southeastern hosts Perry Meridian for a doubleheader at home on Saturday.
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