By Brandon Hall
Director of Scouting, PBR NC

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Tuesday night in Charlotte, Ardrey Kell HS hosted South Meck 8 conference foe Olympic HS.  Defensively, both teams held serve most of the night forcing extra innings where Ardrey Kell would push a run across in the 9^th to claim the 5-4 victory.

Kell came out of the gate applying pressure on Olympic starter Austin Paradis (LHP, 2017, Presbyterian commit).  McKinnon Garner (SS, 2017, UNC Asheville commit) and Cam Brantley (OF, 2019, UNC commit) sandwiched singles around a hit-by-pitch.  Brantley’s single scored Garner as Kell was aggressive on the bases in the early going getting men into scoring position.  Two sacrifice flies would produce a 3-0 cushion after one. 

On the mound, Kell looked to sophomore right Trey Tujetsch (RHP/OF, 2019).  Tujetsch attacked hitters with a solid 3-pitch mix, flashing the ability to command his off-speed.  Through his five innings of work, Tujetsch threw close to 63% of his 80 pitches for strikes, giving up 5 hits, 1 run, while striking out three. 

As Kell went to the bullpen, Olympic was able to create some pressure of its own.  Kell lefty Connor Rudy (LHP, 2017, Charlotte commit) faced three hitters, walking one and being charged with two runs.  Leading off the inning, Lucas Drumheller (SS, 2018, App St commit) hit a hard ground ball at the first baseman, reaching on a tough error.  An over-throw of first base on a pick attempt would send Drumheller to third.  The next hitter ground to third where Kell nabbed Drumheller, seeming to quell the inning.  A walk would end the night for Rudy, bringing in Kevin Finzer (RHP, 2017). 

Finzer’s first hitter would reach on a bunt down the third base line that just stayed fair prior to dying.  With the bases loaded, Finzer walked Cort Maynard (RHP, 2018) forcing in Olympic’s second run of the night.  A strikeout and ground out would seem to get Kell out of the inning with the lead but the throw from third baseman Alex Featherstone (INF, 2017) would sail high, scoring one.  The go-ahead run for Olympic tried to score, from second, on the high throw across the infield but was cut down at the plate to end the sixth, with a 3-3 score.

Both teams would score in the tenth, forcing an eleventh where Parker Ledford (OF, 2018) led off the inning with a single for Kell.  With one out, Ledford stole second to get into scoring position.  With two outs, Jacob Messler (C, 2017) hit a line drive to center, scoring Ledford and sealing the game for Ardrey Kell.

Both teams leaned on their bullpens as the game wore on.  Maynard for Olympic worked 6.1 innings of 3 hit baseball.  He allowed one run, unearned, and only 3 hits.  For Kell, Finzer worked out of the jam in the sixth and worked through the 10^th inning.  Finzer punched 9, allowing 3 hits and 1 run.  John Dancy (RHP, 2017, UNC commit) worked the 11^th and got the win for Kell, striking out one.

In-depth player reports from this game and others can be found on the NC High School Scout Blog

Olympic                             001 002 000 10                4  -  8  -  1
Ardrey Kell                        300 000 000 11                5  -  9  -  4

Win:      John Dancy                        1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 K, 1 BB
Loss:     Josh Morningstar              .2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 K, 0 BB

Leading Hitters:

Olympic                              Lucas Drumheller – 2-5 with a HR and 2 RBI
                                           Dylan Earney – 2-4

Ardrey Kell                         Parker Ledford – 3-5 with one run scored
                                           Alex Featherstone – 2-4
                                           Jacob Messler – 2-5