- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,150,200
- Reaction score
- 59
LINTON —People have had the Barr-Reeve/Sullivan baseball game circled for several weeks since the IHSAA 2A Linton sectional draw was announced.
With the two schools combining for over 40 wins, every one was expecting a close game, but no one predicted the 11-inning, four-hour contest, that didn’t end until the wee hours of Friday morning with the 5-3 Sullivan win that ended a stellar B-R’s season at 23-5.
The game featured two tremendous relief efforts from B-R’s Korben Boyd and Levi Lester, and Sullivan’s Jayden Norris, with Lester and Norris getting nine strikeouts as they both looked to finally shut the door on the other in a game that was never safe until the final out in the bottom of the 11th. The high-tension game featured multiple opportunities to throw the haymaker to secure the win, which never really came.
The Vikings’ starter Ben Lester found himself in a jam in the top of the first with the bases loaded and just one out, but Lester was helped by a pitcher’s best friend, a 6-4-3 double play to kill the threat.
The Vikes were able to strike first with Korben Boyd reaching on an error and moving over on a sacrifice before scoring on a wild pitch in the bottom of the first. However, with a pair of hits in the top of the inning, Sullivan was able to tie it at 1-1.
The Vikes used an error and a wild pitch to help generate their second run as well. Carson Yoder reached second on an error and moved to third on a wild pitch before Brenden Cornelius drove home with a single to make it 2-1.
Ben Lester ended the third the same way he ended the first, with Sullivan’s Jackson Zollman hitting into a double play.
Both pitchers seemed to settle down after that, but again it was a Collin Graber getting hit by a pitch that would help B-R to an insurance run after a sacrifice and a wild pitch, before scoring on a Carson Yoder single. The run would be important as Sullivan would get two runs back to tie it at 3-3. Lester would then give way to Korben Boyd with the bases loaded and he got a pop out.
Sullivan also changed hurlers, with Jayden Norris replacing Hamilton, who struck out the first two he faced and Sullivan picked an interference call for the third out. Norris continued to throw heat, but found himself with runners on first and second with two out, before grabbing his third K of the inning.
Levi Lester came in to replace Boyd with two on in the top of the seventh and use a strike out and a nice defensive play to put out the fire.
Kierson Lengacher nearly ended the game in the bottom of the seventh with a ball hit to the deepest part of the field, followed up by Lester with three Ks in the top of the eighth. The Vikes again had an opportunity in the bottom of the eighth as Collin Graber reached on a dropped third strike and went to second on a wild pitch. Kyle Graber then walked, but Carson Graber was doubled up on swinging bunt, and Kyle Graber was caught stealing to end the threat.
Sullivan was unable to plate a run in the top of the ninth, however with two outs, Boyd was able to work his way to third after a walk, but Norris was able get out of the jam. Lester had his best inning in the top of the 10th, needing just three pitches to record three outs, but was relieved by Viking Matt Lashley in the top of the 11th. Sullivan was able to move their lead off runner to third with no outs, followed by a single to make it 4-3. Sullivan’’s Zollman then doubled to give the Arrows a 5-3 lead, as Grant Armes came in to finish out the inning.
The Vikes were down to their final two outs when Boyd singled and Sullivan brought in Hunter Mason. B-R did put runners on second and third with two out and Grant Armes reached on an error to load the bases, Mason was able to get a fly ball to finish it off, 5-3.
In the opening game, North Knox was able to scratch out a 3-2 win over Linton. The Warriors scored in the top of the seventh off a pair of wild pitches and they will now play Sullivan at 1 p.m.
Continue reading...
With the two schools combining for over 40 wins, every one was expecting a close game, but no one predicted the 11-inning, four-hour contest, that didn’t end until the wee hours of Friday morning with the 5-3 Sullivan win that ended a stellar B-R’s season at 23-5.
The game featured two tremendous relief efforts from B-R’s Korben Boyd and Levi Lester, and Sullivan’s Jayden Norris, with Lester and Norris getting nine strikeouts as they both looked to finally shut the door on the other in a game that was never safe until the final out in the bottom of the 11th. The high-tension game featured multiple opportunities to throw the haymaker to secure the win, which never really came.
The Vikings’ starter Ben Lester found himself in a jam in the top of the first with the bases loaded and just one out, but Lester was helped by a pitcher’s best friend, a 6-4-3 double play to kill the threat.
The Vikes were able to strike first with Korben Boyd reaching on an error and moving over on a sacrifice before scoring on a wild pitch in the bottom of the first. However, with a pair of hits in the top of the inning, Sullivan was able to tie it at 1-1.
The Vikes used an error and a wild pitch to help generate their second run as well. Carson Yoder reached second on an error and moved to third on a wild pitch before Brenden Cornelius drove home with a single to make it 2-1.
Ben Lester ended the third the same way he ended the first, with Sullivan’s Jackson Zollman hitting into a double play.
Both pitchers seemed to settle down after that, but again it was a Collin Graber getting hit by a pitch that would help B-R to an insurance run after a sacrifice and a wild pitch, before scoring on a Carson Yoder single. The run would be important as Sullivan would get two runs back to tie it at 3-3. Lester would then give way to Korben Boyd with the bases loaded and he got a pop out.
Sullivan also changed hurlers, with Jayden Norris replacing Hamilton, who struck out the first two he faced and Sullivan picked an interference call for the third out. Norris continued to throw heat, but found himself with runners on first and second with two out, before grabbing his third K of the inning.
Levi Lester came in to replace Boyd with two on in the top of the seventh and use a strike out and a nice defensive play to put out the fire.
Kierson Lengacher nearly ended the game in the bottom of the seventh with a ball hit to the deepest part of the field, followed up by Lester with three Ks in the top of the eighth. The Vikes again had an opportunity in the bottom of the eighth as Collin Graber reached on a dropped third strike and went to second on a wild pitch. Kyle Graber then walked, but Carson Graber was doubled up on swinging bunt, and Kyle Graber was caught stealing to end the threat.
Sullivan was unable to plate a run in the top of the ninth, however with two outs, Boyd was able to work his way to third after a walk, but Norris was able get out of the jam. Lester had his best inning in the top of the 10th, needing just three pitches to record three outs, but was relieved by Viking Matt Lashley in the top of the 11th. Sullivan was able to move their lead off runner to third with no outs, followed by a single to make it 4-3. Sullivan’’s Zollman then doubled to give the Arrows a 5-3 lead, as Grant Armes came in to finish out the inning.
The Vikes were down to their final two outs when Boyd singled and Sullivan brought in Hunter Mason. B-R did put runners on second and third with two out and Grant Armes reached on an error to load the bases, Mason was able to get a fly ball to finish it off, 5-3.
In the opening game, North Knox was able to scratch out a 3-2 win over Linton. The Warriors scored in the top of the seventh off a pair of wild pitches and they will now play Sullivan at 1 p.m.
Continue reading...
