Micah Vessely drove in the winning run with a bases-loaded infield single in the bottom of the seventh inning to give Greenwood a 7-6 win over Indian Creek in a tight Johnson County battle on Monday afternoon.
Vessely’s shot appeared to ricochet off Braves pitcher Colt DeHart and landed between the mound and third base, giving runner Landen Smith ample time to scurry home without a play at the plate.
The win improved the Woodmen’s record to 6-5; Indian Creek falls to 6-4.
The Braves had been running roughshod over opponents lately, winning their past three games by a combined score of 44-3. But a combination of great pitching and fielding put a halt to their scoring activities for three innings before the Braves got back to their scoring ways.
Greenwood coach Andy Bass cited two key fielding plays by his outfield that helped preserve the win.
“The diving plays by Ethan (King) and Wyatt (Flowers) in the fifth were huge for a little bit of momentum after we gave up a bad inning of defense,” he said.
Before all the big action, Greenwood’s first run came courtesy of an error and sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first inning. Smith slapped a sharp single to center but the Indian Creek center fielder had the bouncing ball go past him. Smith legged it out to third base, then scored when Cade Kelly hit a sacrifice fly to right.
The Woodmen appeared to break the game open in their half of the third by batting around the order and producing a four-run, five-hit inning, highlighted by a two-run double from Vessely.
However, in the fourth, Indian Creek’s run drought ended thanks to a pair of hits and three Greenwood errors that gave them five runs. Colt DeHart had an RBI double for the Braves. Suddenly, the game was tied.
Greenwood went back up a run in the fourth, and that was the last of the scoring until the seventh inning, when the Braves tied it up on a Bryce Harmon that scored Carter Modlin.
In the bottom of the inning, Smith reached first on an error and went to second when Kelly was intentionally walked. Noah Rollings laid down a perfect bunt to reach first and load the bases, and then Vessely performed his heroics.
Vessely led the Woodmen with two hits and three RBIs. Smith also had two hits and scored three runs. Kelly had a single and two RBIs.
For Indian Creek, Bryce Turner had a single and double while DeHart had a double and RBI.
Logan Connor came on in relief for starting pitcher Rollings to get the win.
“As a team, an inning like (the fourth) might have derailed the whole train, but this group has not given up,” Bass said. “We made plays like those diving catches. That was a nice win for us against a good team. We’re pretty happy.”
Indian Creek returns to Western Indiana Conference play this afternoon when they travel to Northview. Greenwood goes a few miles up the road to take on Perry Meridian in Mid-State Conference play.
