One bad inning derails Tiger Cubs

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Greencastle's baseball squad was dealt a formidable hand to open the 2012 season Monday evening.

The Tiger Cubs started the year by hosting defending 3A state champs and No. 1 ranked Crawfordsville, holding out until a monster sixth inning derailed any upset hopes in a 17-1 loss.

Crawfordsville started off quickly with Caleb Rasmussen walking and stealing two bases before scoring on a fielding error to take a 1-0 lead.

Greencastle scored in similar fashion once Andy Bell was hit by a pitch. Two wild pitches allowed the Tiger Cub backstop to get to third and score on groundout by Cole Pohlar.

The Athenians answered with two singles and a sac fly from Cam Monroe to take the lead back at 2-1.

Things would stay that way until the fifth, when Rasmussen singled, stole two more bases and scored on Jordan Jackson's double.

Jackson was picked off second before Crawfordsville could notch back-to-back singles. Ryan Battin, starting on the mound for the hosts, stranded both runners and exited having pitched five innings and given up two earned runs while striking out five.

Battin's removal, however, opened up the floodgates for the visitors.

Crawfordsville slammed Seth Brown and Landon Miller for eight hits, six walks and 14 runs in nearly 45-minute-long half inning.

The score would remain through the bottom of the sixth as the Tiger Cubs slumped to their first loss of the season.

Greencastle head coach Troy Remsburg thought the squad played well against the defending state champs.

"Through the first five innings, I thought we played extremely well. We made a few mistakes but they hit the ball, ran the bases well and fielded the ball well," Remsburg said.

"We had one mistake which made it 2-1 for a while. We had another mistake to make it 3-1. Aside from that, through five innings I thought we played them very well.

"We needed some quality base hits, or maybe bunts to move the runners. With our younger guys just stepping in, they played very well. There was maybe one who was nervous but he calmed down after his first at bat," Remsburg added.

"For a first game, against that team, I was very proud of them."

At Greencastle

Crawfordsville110 01(14) -- 17 15 0

Greencastle 100 000 -- 1 2 4

WP -- Brainard (1-0)

LP -- Battin (0-1)

Next Game: Greencastle travels to North Putnam next Monday.