Game 2: Zionsville 2 Hamilton Southeastern 0
Being postponed to the next day in a scoreless affair is probably one of the more mind-racking things that a high school baseball team and its coaches can go through.
The anticipation was more than likely getting the best of the Zionsville Eagles and Hamilton Southeastern Royals. First pitch on Friday night was slated for 5:30 p.m., but Noblesville athletic director Mike Hasch detected lightning just miles away, delaying the first pitch until 6:00. The actual first pitch was at 6:02 p.m., but we really didn't get too much further. There was another set of thunder at 6:41, followed by some lightning off in the distance that forced the umpires to clear the field.
After 7 different restarts of the 30 minute delay clock, head coaches John Zangrilli (Zionsville) and Scott Johnson (Hamilton SE) were given the choice to make the final decision on the game. Wait for the storm to go through or come back Saturday and continue then. Zangrilli made the good point to all of us in the meeting that he wanted to come back Saturday, so that both teams would have a fair chance at winning the game.
It was a 17 hour and 22 minute "delay," but the Eagles and Royals were back at Dunker Field and ready to fight for a chance to advance to the semi-finals of the Class 4A Sectional 8 at Noblesville.
Prior to the delays on Friday night, Zionsville and Hamilton Southeastern did get 2.2 innings in before play was postponed and moved to Saturday at noon.
The Eagles' starting hurler Parker Dunshee gave way to Mic Richey to finish the remaining 5 innings. Dunshee and Richey combine for a four-hit shutout, yielding just 8 Royals to reach base. Jacob Kowal pitched all seven frames for HSE.
It didn't take much offense by Zionsville to move onto the semi-final round. In the top of the 6th, Ben Kocher got on base with a single to right center and advanced to third on a throw to first to attempt to pick him off, but Kowal's throw sailed over 1B Sean Green's head, giving Kocher two bases to third. A light single by Dunshee into left sent Kocher home for a 1-0 Eagle lead.
Nick Barrientos started the 7th off with a walk. Harry Farber reached on a base hit to shallow right, putting Barrientos at second. Evan Miller came in and pinch hit for DH Cam Richey and hit into a fielder's choice. Miller hit the ball right back to Kowal and he made the smart move and got Barrientos out for the force out at third. Drew Small knocked the other run in for Zionsville on a single to left center for a 2-0 lead. Miller was then doubled up to end the inning on Ben Kocher's fly out to left. LF Chris Irwin gunned Miller down as he was heading to third.
Mic Richey allowed just one hit and left Tre Gantt on base to end the game, advancing Zionsville to the sectional semi-finals with a 2-0 win over Hamilton Southeastern.
4A #5 Zionsville moved its record to 24-5 overall and Hamilton Southeastern ended its season with a 19-11 mark.
Game 3: Westfield 14, Carmel 3
Westfield thought they were playing it extremely smart by putting their pitching ace, Wade Burtron (5-2), on the mound to secure a berth in the seciontal semi-finals. This method worked to get Westfield past Carmel, but it might come back to hurt them when the semi-finals come around Monday on Memorial Day.
Nathan Manworren was hit by the second pitch of the game by Carmel's Ryan Campbell, giving the Rocks a runner aboard right away. The leadoff man got caught in a 1-3-6-3-4 rundown between first and second, trying to steal second, and was finally tagged out by 2B Riley Miller. Freshman catcher Bailey Partlow walked and eventually scored on Burtron's RBI-single down the left field line.
Westfield was back at it in the second inning, right where they left off in the first. DH Brandon Gray singled to left and eventually found his way to third by stealing second. Jacob Robinson raced to an infield single that moved Gray to third, but Robinson was forced out at second on Manworren's fielder's choice, but also scored Gray for 2-0 Westfield lead. Jake Dietz eached on an error by Hounds catcher Clay Morrison. Alec Nelson drove in Manworren with a single to right center. First baseman Nick Saldutti helped complete the Rocks' scoring in the second with an RBI-double, one-hop to the outfield wall, sending Nelson home. A 5-0 cushion could be enough, but this is the sectionals and anything does and will happen.
Carmel got itself on the scoreboard in the fourth inning. Riley Miller doubled to deep right center, one-hopping the ball to the wall. Cameron Cruz reached via an error on SS Jake Dietz, scoring Miller.
The Rocks put another run in their line score with an RBI single by the DH Gray, scoring Jake Celleghin for a 6-1 lead.
The Hounds continued to push the envelope in the fifth inning, for the time being. Black Warner singled to center and Alex McManus got on base with a fielder's choice, which forced Warner out at second. Kyle Fiala then smacked an RBI-triple to center (McManus scored) and then Fiala scored on an RBI-double by Miller to cut their deficit to only trailing Westfield 6-3.
Westfield broke open the game that could have been much closer. Tacking on two more in the 6th, Westfield was on a mission in the final two innings. Jake Dietz led off with a base hit to left. Manworren tapped a ball to Jack Thompson at the mound and he overthrew Jack Martin at first. He and Manworren eventually scored on Bailey Partlow's one-hop, two-run single to the left field wall for an 8-3 advantage.
They continued in the top of the seventh against Thompson and JT Ellison, who seemed like they were tossing Westfield batting practice. The Rocks got 6 runs on 3 hits in the seventh to seal their fate for a sectional semi-final matchup with fellow Hoosier Crossroads Conference foe Zionsville in Monday's second second game.
Westfield upped its record to 17-12 and Carmel ended its 2012 campaign 9-21.
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