Noblesville head coach Justin Keever keeps tweeking the lineup and it works, to an extent. The Millers (8-9, 1-6) won two of their three games this week and are showing the same signs that last season's 2010 Sectional Champions and Elite Eight team did just a couple weeks before the IHSAA State Tournament began.
Noblesville 5, Lafayette Jeff 1 (Tuesday)
On Tuesday at Dunker Field, Lafayette Jeff came to town looking to keep the Millers down. Keever's squad was on a six game losing streak prior to meeting the Bronchos. The streak ended as Noblesville controlled Lafayette Jeff, 5-1. Derek Asuras struck out seven in 7 innings of work, while only walking 2. Dewey Rodgers and Seth Rayle led NHS at the plate. Rodgers went 2-for-3, with a double, single and a run scored. Rayle also went 2-for-3 with a single and an RBI double in the 4th that scored Rodgers.
Lafayette Jeff 9, Noblesville 1 (Thursday)
Not a pretty site from the get-go for the visiting Millers. Lafayette Jeff stormed out of the starting gates in the bottom of the 1st inning with a four-run inning and didn't look back from that point. Getting four runs in the 3rd and 4th innings combined, homestanding Bronchos held Noblesville to three total hits in 24 at-bats. This loss dropped the Millers to 7-9 overall and 1-6 in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference.
Noblesville 4, Delphi 2 (Saturday)
On Saturday, starting pitcher Kent Williams didn't look like the fire-throwing hurler that he's looked like in previous outings this season. With a 37 pitch first inning, Williams looked like he was taken a step backwards. It took him a few batters to get his head on straight, walking his first three that stepped into the box on 21 pitches. Striking out centerfielder Karson Bender to finally record an out, KW looked to be calmed down now. SS Kodey Sattler then roped a two-run single to center, scoring pitcher Erik Carpenter and RF Austin Hawn for a 2-0 Delphi Oracle lead. Williams struck out Dayton Rumell and Cole Murray to put an end to a first inning that could have been much worse for the junior right-hander.
Going one-two-three in the bottom of one, Noblesville's bats hadn't quite woken up since their 9-1 loss at Jeff two days prior. With one out in the bottom of the second, something felt eerie at Dunker Field. Facing a 2-1 count, Dewey Rodgers put everything he had into a rib-high fastball. The ball went sailing over the left field wall and didn't touch down until it took a 20-foot bounce off State Road 32, landing in the yard of the apartments across the street. "Hello State Road 32!" was my call as I announced the home run over the public address at Dunker Field. It was honestly the first thing that came out of my mouth, so I said it, and it fit perfect for Dewey's ticker-tape homer. That HR brought the Millers back in the game, down just 2-1.
Williams held the Oracles in check through the 6th inning, striking out 7 hitters and walking four. The Miller bats gave him a big boost in the bottom of the sixth. With another one-out at-bat, Rodgers laced a single into shallow left field. DH Patrick Rader walked, with Tyler Mitchener pinch running for him. Austin Ramey struck out, forcing NHS to rally with two outs. Seth Rayle lofted an RBI-single over Delphi 2B Tyler Smith's head, scoring Rodgers and tying the game at 2-2. That hit also advanced Mitchener from first to third. A passed ball to the net behind home plate allowed Mitchener to score with ease, putting the Millers up 3-2. Sam Wides earned an RBI as he also singled to right, scoring Rayle and giving Noblesville a 4-2 lead.
Derek Asuras came on in relief in the top of the 7th. A groundout and 2 strikeouts later, the Millers rejoiced a 4-2 come-from-behind victory at Dunker Field over the visiting Delphi Oracles. Noblesville's offense was led by Rodgers with his solo HR blast to left and sixth inning single, Rayle's RBI single and Wides' 2-for-2 performance with a fielder's choice in the 2nd, bunt single to lead off the 5th and single with 2 RBI's in the 6th.
2A #11 Delphi fell to 8-7 and will likely not receive votes in this week's IHSBCA 2A poll. After starting 7-0 this season, the Oracles are just 1-7 in their last 8 outings. The defending 2A State Runners-Up have hit a rut in their schedule, but will probably bounce back just fine. That's what happened last season. The same result happened and the Oracles made a tremendous 2A State Tournament run. They wound up bowing out in the 2A state title game to defending state champion Heritage Christian, 5-1, and finishing at 26-8.
The Noblesville Millers (8-9, 1-6 HCC) have their work cut out for them in this 12-game stretch to close out the regular season in May. This week, two home-and-home series with McCutcheon (10-3) and 4A #10 (13-3) Avon. They travel to McCutcheon on Monday and Avon on Friday. Dunker Field will be the site of home games against McCutcheon (Tuesday) and Avon (Thursday), all games being 6 p.m. for first pitch.
Last night's lineup vs. Delphi might be what Keever is looking for when it comes to a solid lineup. This team has great potential, just as last season's Sectional Champions/Elite Eight team did. These Millers need to peak now and keep going.
Senior pitcher Ryan Byrne needs to regain the domination factor that he's had since he first took the mound during his freshman year in '08. He's in a funk and is slowly but surely finding his way back. Derek Asuras needs to keep pitching like he has been so far this season. DA has 26 strikeouts in 17.2 innings over his last three appearances. Tanner Watson, Jameson Brock and Dewey Rodgers are three seniors that the coaching staff will count on to lead this group. Ramey and Rader, their bats will wake up this week. Seth Rayle now has 7 games under his belt and is hitting with consistency, along with solidifying the middle of the infield at shortstop with Watson at second. Fansher has become a fixture in LF, while Brock and Asuras have swapped positions, with Asuras back in CF and Brock now in RF. Wides is one of the best defensive catchers in the state and as captain of the infield, Sam has been hitting the ball well of late and could be a vital part of the Millers' offensive success down the stretch in May.
GO MILLERS!
Craig Adkins
-Voice of Miller baseball
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