Elkhart Central Tops Crosstown Rival Elkhart Memorial
April 14, 2019
Elkhart Central topped Elkhart Memorial 9-5 in non-conference high school baseball at Memorial’s breezy Charger Field.
The Blue Blazers (4-2) belted their second and third home runs of the season and third in as many days in besting the Crimson Chargers (3-2).
Senior right-handed swinger Jared Miller and senior lefty Brady Markel went deep for Central.
Markel, who slugged a grand slam Friday against South Bend Clay, collected three hits and Miller two Saturday. Millerand sophomore Vinny Ambrose drove in two runs apiece. Seniors Zak Ramsey and Brennan Harrington scored two times each.
“We ripped the ball,” said Central coach Steve Stutsman. “We just took advantage of some walks and wild pitches and hit the ball in a timely fashion. “The bottom of the order (senior Brennan Harrington, Ambrose and senior Nick Perry) has come on and really did a nice job for us the last couple of games.”
The Blazers used three right-handed pitchers — Brycen Sherwood (1-0), Miller and senior Jake Shreiner. The trio yielded four hits while striking out 10 and walking six.
“Miller looked the best he has all year,” said Stutsman. I’m optimistic this will be a turning point for him. “Shriner comes and just throws the ball. He’s our closer.”
Sophomore Bryce Blondell drove in two runs and the righty pitched the seventh inning for Memorial.
The Chargers also used senior Landon Lee (1-1), junior Caleb Webb and junior Graham Elli on the mound — all right-handers. They combined to give up six hits and eight walks with two strikeouts.
“That’s been the story for us,” said Memorial coach Scott Rost. “Even the first week when we started off 3-0, we were giving up too many free bases. “We gave them five runs. Five of nine runs were on base because of a walk. You can’t give away runs like that to good baseball teams. “I am extremely proud of how are kids handled being down in the game against a really good team. We had some real competitive at-bats and did some good things defensively.”
Shreiner relieved Miller on the mound for Central to open a scoreless Memorial seventh.
After junior Cole Beadle reached on an error, Shreiner racked two strikeouts and one fly-out to end the game.
Central took a 9-5 lead with one run in the top of the seventh.
Blondell relieved right-hander Elli on the bump for Memorial.
Markel led off by smacking a 1-0 pitch for a solo homer to right.
Memorial produced three runs against Miller in the bottom of the sixth to cut the gap to 8-5.
With the bases loaded and no outs, sophomore Dylan Rost lofted a fly to center that was muffed allowing Elli (hit by pitch) from third base.
Lee drew a bases-loaded walk to force home junior Dashaun Holloway (on by error).
A sacrifice fly to center by senior Caden Ewen drove in junior Zack Rohm (single to right).
Elli faced three batters in a score-free Central sixth.
Memorial’s defense got the first two outs on a double play — line drive to shortstop Rost and throw to junior first baseman Cannon Harris to double off the runner.
The third out was a caught-looking strikeout for Elli.
Miller walked one batter while striking out two and inducing a come-backer to the mound in a scoreless Memorial fifth.
Central scored one run with two outs against Webb in the top of the fifth for an 8-2 edge.
Elli spelled Webb on the mound for Memorial with two outs and runners at first and second base and he got an inning-ending groundout.
Memorial left the bases loaded in a scoreless bottom of the fourth.
With the bases full and one out, Miller relieved starter Sherwood on the mound for Central.
Miller got out of the jam with a strikeout and then caught a line drive.
Central stranded one runner against Webb in a scoreless bottom of the fourth. Shreiner reached on an error, but did not get past second base.
Sherwood got the first two outs on an infield pop and strikeout and catcher Ambrose picked off a runner at first base as Memorial went score-free in the bottom of the third.
Central took a 7-2 lead with one run against Webb in the top of the third.
Dempsey drew a lead-off walk and later scored a on a sacrifice fly to right by Ambrose.
Memorial left one runner against Sherwood — Rost was hit by a two-out pitch — in a scoreless bottom of the second. Sherwood racked up two caught-looking strikeouts.
With five runs credited to Lee, Central assumed a 6-2 edge in the top of the second.
Ambrose drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Dempsey (on with a lead-off walk) with the tying run.
A wild pitch allowed Markel (single to left) to score from third base.
A single to left by Perry drove in Harrington (walk).
Ambrose scored on a single to left by No. 9 hitter Perry.
Webb relieved Lee with runners on first and second base and no outs.
A sacrifice fly to right by Shreiner scored Perry with the inning’s fifth run.
Memorial scored two runs with two outs against Sherwood in the bottom of the first to take a 2-1 lead.
Blondell’s single to left plated Rost (on by lead-off error) and Lee (one-out walk).
The third out was a leaping catch by junior third baseman Alex Rasler on a ball off the bat of Elli.
Lead-off hitter Miller sent a 3-1 Lee pitch over the left field fence for a homer to give Central a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.
Penn visits Central and Memorial goes to Plymouth, both Monday, April 15.
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