Third-ranked Center Grove is fast developing a reputation as a two-out ball club.
As Thursday’s game against visiting Columbus North reiterated, once an opposing defense gets two outs on the Trojans, recording that all-so-important third becomes increasingly difficult.
Center Grove padded its two-out standing by scoring four runs in the bottom of the first inning in a 15-2 victory over the Bull Dogs.
The game went only five innings due to the 10-run rule.
Four Trojan players sent baseballs over the fence in the opening two frames alone — Owen Guilfoy, Grant Sawa, Garrison Barile and Evan Zapp. Center Grove cruised to a 12-0 advantage off the Bull Dogs’ starting pitcher, senior lefthander Will Baker.
It proved to be something of a contrast to what Trojans coach Keith Hatfield was noticing prior to the opening pitch.
“I wasn’t mad about our energy before the game, but I wasn’t thrilled with it,” Hatfield said. “A lot of indoor practices. Bad weather. Cold weather. It’s hard to get in a rhythm, and I thought our energy during batting practice today was just not where it should have been.
“But we took a couple of really good (first-inning at-bats), starting with Mitchell (Evans’) walk. Laying off the breaking ball was big, Owen keeping his hands back on the changeup and then Garrison keeping it going with a double and Grant hitting a fastball. And then in the second inning, we definitely took a lot of good ABs.”
Center Grove (7-0-1) finished with 10 hits, more than enough support for junior pitcher Ben Murphy. The righthander allowed Columbus North six hits while issuing no walks and striking out eight.
The Trojans led, 15-0, before the Bull Dogs generated a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning.
Senior third baseman Dyllan Redmon led off with a double. He advanced to third base on an error and trotted home the instant teammate Zach McLean, a sophomore first baseman, crushed a no-doubt home run to left-center field.
From that point, Murphy fanned four of the final six hitters he faced.
Leadoff hitter Noah Coy singled twice for Center Grove; Evans, Guilfoy and Barile also finished with two hits apiece. McLean had a pair of hits for Columbus North (3-1-1), having also singled in the top of the second inning.
Bull Dogs coach Patrick Antone looks for his squad to bounce back despite the disappointing outcome.
“Against any good team, it’s going to come down to whoever makes the least amount of mistakes,” Antone said. “This is just an opportunity to learn. We talk about it all the time. How are you going to respond? Are you going to learn from it, or are you going to crumble?
“Let this one sink in and get back to work so that it never happens again.”
Center Grove returns to action at home Saturday morning against Jeffersonville, while the Bull Dogs play a home doubleheader against Class 3A No. 4 Silver Creek.
