NP baseball keeps winning, beats Tri-West and Lebanon

Monday, April 29, 2013

LEBANON -- The North Putnam varsity baseball team picked up its 10th win of the season when the Cougars won at sectional-rival Lebanon on Saturday, 9-6.

NPHS (10-1-1, 5-0 WCC) completed a dominant four-day stretch when it knocked off Cloverdale, Tri-West and the Tigers.

Senior Jake Haste (4-1) earned the win on Saturday, pitching four innings and allowing just three hits. He struck out two and walked three.

Michael Herrmann earned the save. The senior threw the final 2.2 innings, struck out two and didn't allow a run.

The Cougars opened the scoring in the third. After Beau Green singled, Brody Perrine drove him with an RBI base hit. A few batters later, senior Kaleb Belcher came up and got a two-out hit that scored a pair of runs.

NPHS came alive in the fifth.

Leading 3-2 Herrmann and senior Kyler Badten each reached base to lead off the inning. Haste then hit a mammoth home run to clear the bases.

Hits kept coming and juniors Jordan Nauert and Coy Flynn each knocked in a run.

The Cougars led 8-6 in the top of the seventh when freshman Kyler Jeter hit his first career home run. The insurance run held up and gave the Cougars a win over a potential sectional opponent.

Perrine had two hits, an RBI and a double. Belcher, starting to find a rhythm, also had two hits and an RBI. Herrmann was 0-1 but reached base three times on three walks.

On Friday the Cougars beat Hendricks County champion Tri-West 6-4.

Badten (3-0) got the win that day, throwing a complete game and striking out nine against just four walks.

The Cougars jumped out to a 6-0 lead until the Bruins finally got to Badten in the seventh. Badten's two RBIs opened the scoring in the third inning. He drove in Perrine and Herrmann, who reached on a double.

NPHS added four more runs in the fifth. Eight straight batters reached base, including a double by Jeter that scored two runs.

Perrine had two more hits and Badten went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

The Cougars have a chance to clinch at least a share of the West Central Conference title this week.

NPHS plays a home-and-home against Cascade on Monday and Tuesday, then travels to South Putnam for a make-up game on Wednesday.

The Cougars are at Cascade Monday at 5 p.m.



At Tri-West
North Putnam................002 040 0 -- 6 10 0
Tri-West........................000 000 4 -- 4 8 0

WP -- Badten (3-0)

2B -- Herrmann, Jeter

At Lebanon
North Putnam..................003 050 1 -- 9 10 0
Lebanon..........................000 240 0 -- 6 5 0

WP -- Haste (4-1)
S -- Herrmann

HR -- Haste, Jeter

2B -- Perrine

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