You wanna talk about a team that can't catch a break? Take a look at this 2011 version of the Noblesville Millers. They're a tough-luck group that has all the intrical parts to be one of the best baseball teams in the state of Indiana. Unfortunately, some pieces haven't produced when the coaching staff hoped they would.
Three-time All-HCC/All-State starting pitcher Ryan Byrne is having the worst possible luck during his senior season. Byrne is currently 0-5 with a 5.86 ERA. He's given up 52 hits, 33 run (29 earned), only walked 14, but struck out 46 in 34.2 innings on the mound. After being all-state and all-conference the first three years of high school, this is far from what Byrne expected his senior year to be like.
Junior shortstop Seth Rayle was suspended for the first 10 games this season for violating team rules. He rejoined the Millers' starting lineup under the lights in a Saturday night tilt at Carmel. Rayle is 9-for-29 (.310) with 4 RBI's, 2 doubles and 8 runs scored, in just 11 games.
Jameson Brock was recently suspended 10 games for also violating team rules. JB will be able to play again when Noblesville heads to Harrison (West Lafayette) on Thursday, May 19. Brock was batting .302, going 16-for-53, 3 doubles, 4 RBI's, 8 runs scored. Senior Caleb Shore, junior Patrick Rader and freshman Garrett Christman have replaced JB in the lineup while he's out.
Through 21 games thus far, the Millers are 9-12, 2-9 in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference. They've lost 10 of their last 13 games since coming off a great Spring Break trip. Eight of those losses have come by four runs or fewer, three in nine innings.
We're honestly seeing some shades of the 2010 Millers, in spurts, but they may get there yet. This year, they're just not able to catch any breaks, they've more or less become the victim in those situations.
Losing both Fishers games by two runs total, 7-6 and 9-8 (9 innings), dropping two to Brownsburg, 3-2 and 3-0 (9 innings) really started the HCC season off in the opposite direction. The 4th Annual Victory Field Classic vs. Zionsville was only good after the first inning. The Eagles plated 4 in the first and played defense for six innings to seal a 4-1 win over the Millers on neutral turf.
They split with Lafayette Jeff, winning at home 5-1 and losing handedly at Loeb Stadium 9-1. NHS got a much needed W against 3A #11 Delphi in come-from-behind fashion, 4-2 on April 30. This past week, things looked to be getting on track...somewhat. Monday, the Millers lost a heartbreaker at McCutcheon, 2-0. Tuesday night's game was originally slated for a home game at Dunker Field, but with all the rain we had Sunday and Monday, the game was moved back to McCutcheon, but Noblesville would still be the home team on the board. All was going well, until the Mavericks pinned 4 runs in the top of the ninth and stymied the Miller bats in the bottom to hang on for a 9-5 win in 9 innings. Thursday night brought us a 9-6 win over 4A #9 Avon. Patrick Rader homered deep over the left field wall in that win, while Kent Williams upped his record to 4-2 and Brock Hammond got his first save. Friday night at Avon didn't bode well. With 6 runs in both the third and fourth innings, Avon put the spanking on Noblesville, 14-0, for their worst defeat of 2011.
The outlook for the remaining 9 games of the regular season: really good. Monday and Tuesday at home vs. Zionsville (4A #5) and Hamilton Southeastern, respectively. Thursday they'll play at Hamilton Southeastern to finish up the home-and home series with the Royals. Saturday, we'll host the 1st Annual Noblesville Classic and welcome Twin Lakes (at 11am). Game two pits Hamilton Heights against Mississinewa. Game 3 is the loser of games one and two. The Noblesville Classic title game will be at 7pm. The following week, they'll have two against Westfield and two against Harrison (West Lafayette).
I guess I could say that I'm more optimistic than the next, but I've also got a birds-eye view in the press box at Dunker Field as PA voice of the Millers!
GO MILLERS!
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