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GHS ends season with 6-5 loss in eight innings
NASHVILLE -- Much like Greencastle's 2008 baseball season, Thursday night's sectional game had its ups and downs.
Unlike the Tiger Cubs season, in which they started 0-10 only to close 9-6, the good part of Thursday's game came at the beginning. GHS built a 4-0 lead in the third inning, only to see the Mustangs climb back in the game, ultimately winning 6-5 in eight innings.
Kyle Nobles led the Greencastle (9-16) effort from the mound and at the plate. The junior pitched seven-and-a-third innings, allowing six runs on nine hits and six walks.
With the bat, Nobles was 2-for-4 with a double and four RBIs. Additionally, the other GHS run came when Graham Shuee drove Nobles in with a double.
"Kyle Nobles came up with two big hits for us and Graham (Shuee) had a big hit for us," GHS coach Troy Greenlee said.
"But I didn't think we were able to put enough of those big hits together," he continued. "I thought we had opportunities, we just weren't able to get more runs across."
Nobles got the attack started in the top of the first, driving in Keegan Remsburg with a double.
After a scoreless second, GHS loaded the bases in the third and Nobles came through again, driving in Justin Bartrum and Remsburg on a single.
Shuee followed with a double that scored Nobles.
But the bottom of the third wasn't kind to GHS. After not allowing a hit in the first two innings, Nobles allowed four runs on four hits in the third. Ross Pruitt drove the first run, and Matt Erwin drove in two more with a single. Jordan Cowden drove in the inning's fourth run with a double.
With the score tied at four, both teams were unable to score for several innings.
Three Tiger Cub errors to open the fourth gave the Mustangs runners at second and third with no outs. But GHS battled back with three straight outs.
For the Mustangs, Erwin's effort was shaky at best, but he didn't allow any runs in the fourth or fifth. In the sixth, he was relieved by Collier, who continued to keep the Tiger Cubs off balance.
"I just didn't think we took advantage of the opportunities we got offensively," Greenlee said.
Edgewood got its first lead in the sixth when Nick Theodore doubled and reached third on an error. The blunder would cost the Cubs, as Theodore scored on a sacrifice fly.
Down to their last three outs, though, GHS showed its resilience in the seventh. Bartrum and Remsburg both reached on walks. Nobles then hit into a fielder's choice that scored Bartrum and tied the score at five.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Mustangs looked to finish it quickly, as Erwin reached third on a pair of Tiger Cub errors.
Facing a suicide squeeze situation with no outs, Greenlee made the unconventional move of intentionally walking the next two batters. The walks made it a force out at home plate. However, a well placed fly ball or line drive would end the game easily.
Theodore looked like he would do just that, as he sent a shot to center field. But the drawn-in Bartrum jumped and snagged the ball, sending all three runners scrambling back to their bases.
The next batter sent a fly to short right field, which Mike Mahoney caught and threw home, keeping the runners in place. The threat ended with another fly ball.
In the top of the eighth, Greencastle could manage only a Blake Robinson single and no runs.
GHS got into the same situation quickly, as runners got to first and third with no outs.
When Greenlee again walked the bases loaded, it only worked for one out. Cowden ended the game on a single that scored Pruitt.
It was a heartbreaker, but Greenlee was proud of the team.
"I was really proud of the way the kids didn't quit," Greenlee said. "We put ourselves in a tough situation there in the seventh and were able to battle back and get it to the eighth inning. We had the same situation in the eighth and just weren't able to hold them again.
"I've been really proud of the way these kids have battled all year, and this was just another example," he continued. "I though Kyle pitched a really good game. We just weren't able, offensively, to get enough. We did some good things, we just didn't do enough."
Besides the missed offensive opportunities, six GHS fielding errors also did not help the cause in such a close game.
Thursday marked the final game for GHS seniors Kendall Faust and Robinson, a duo the coach will miss.
"The thing I'll remember about these guys as much as anything is how great of kids they are. They have great attitudes. They came to play every time. Whether they were playing well or struggling a little bit, the always came with a great attitude. As a coach that's all you can ask," Greenlee concluded.
GHS finishes its season at 9-16, while Edgewood advances to the Brown County Sectional title game against Brown County or West Vigo at 7 p.m. today.
At Brown County
Sectional 29 Semifinal
Greencastle 103 000 10 -- 5 6 6
Edgewood 004 001 01 -- 6 9 3
Nobles and Faust; Erwin, Collier (6) and Theodore.
WP -- Collier.
LP -- Nobles.
2B -- Nobles, Shuee (G), Cowden, Theodore (E).
3B -- Walton.
Greencastle finishes the season 9-16.