North Putnam defeats Bethesda

Saturday, May 19, 2012

ROACHDALE -- North Putnam baseball made quick work of Bethesda Christian on Friday winning 13-0 in five innings in their last home game of the season.

Austin Day started for the Cougars, striking out nine in three no-hit innings before being replaced.

"I wanted to keep him around 50 pitches so he's ready for Wednesday (against North Mongomery)," North Putnam coach Norm Fish said.

Bethesda stranded two runners in the first, reaching on a walk and an error.

The Cougars jumped out to an early lead as their first five batters reached base and eventually scored.

Brodie Perrine led of the game with a triple to the right-center gap. Kyler Badten followed him with an RBI.

Jordan Nauert knocked him in with a double to shallow center, then Day walked and Kaleb Belcher reached base on a fielder's choice.

The throw home was unsuccessful, allowing Navert to score.

A balk by Bethesda pitcher Johnny Mlagan put runners on second and third.

With the pitcher now throwing from the windup, the tail runner went on first move and was rounding third as the pitch crossed the plate.

When Shane Beaman layed a sac bunt down the first base line both runners scored.

Coy Flynn (double) and Beau Green (single, RBI) each scored later in the inning.

Day struck out the side in the second and allowed a walk in the third before ending his night with three more strikeouts in the third.

The Cougars scored one run in the second when Belcher singled and scored on a sac fly by Flynn.

With the bases loaded in the third and Day at the plate Bethesda's pitcher balked again, advancing the runners. On the next pitch Day homered to left.

"We're up and down," Fish said. "We hit one day and then we're off a day. We've just got to be more consistent at the plate."

The final run of the day came in the fourth when Nauert hit a sacrifice fly to score Green.

Nauert pitched the final two innings, allowing three hits and striking out two.

The Cougars play North Montgomery on Wednesday in the sectional opener at Crawfordsville. They lost to the team 6-5 on May 9.

"The defense is playing good," Fish said. "We've just got to hit the ball to beat North Mont."

At North Putnam

Bethesda 000 00 0 -- 3 2 4

N. Putnam 714 1x -- 13 11 1 6