Cougars lose season opener to Tigers

Saturday, April 3, 2010
North Putnam's Tyler Watson smacks a RBI shot to second base in the first inning of Friday's contest with Lebanon. The Cougars dropped the contest 16-5 and will host Greencastle Monday.

ROACHDALE -- The 2010 season got off to a rocky start for the North Putnam baseball team. The Cougars dropped their season opener to Lebanon 16-5 in six innings.

Despite the loss, head coach Norm Fish was pleased with what he saw from his team on a night where the wind howled throughout the game.

"I wasn't disappointed at all. Our kids come out, you know Lebanon had some pretty big sticks and we've got young pitchers," Fish said. "A night like to night, it's tough on pitchers. Wind blowing at them, wind blowing out for the hitters and our young guys threw strikes and Lebanon hit the ball well, so you have to give them credit.

"We hung in there -- we didn't get down. Our kids kept throwing. I think we used three freshmen pitchers; they all came in there and gave it their best and threw as many strikes as they could," he added.

North Putnam sent freshmen pitchers Kyler Badten, Austin Day and Jake Haste to the mound, but the Lebanon batters were able to use a friendly wind to collect 12 hits, including four home runs.

After a 2-all tie after one inning, it looked like it was going to be a knock down battle, but the Tigers were able to put together a six run second inning to blow the game open.

Lebanon batters Jacob Molter and Jack Day knocked 2-run homers, while Dustin Shipley hit a solo shot to lead the offense.

The Tigers outscored the Cougars 4-1 over the next three innings, but were able to put four runs on the board in the top of the sixth to seal the game.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, North Putnam's Day reached on an outfield error, then Brian Frazier hit a shot down the left field line to put two men on with one out. On the next at bat, Brody Perrine hit a shot to third, where the field touched the base for out No. 2 and thena fired the ball to first to record the final out of the game.

Badten was 2-for-3, with two RBIs, while Tyler Watson was also 2-for-3, with two RBIs.

"We had some good times at the plate too," Fish commented. "We had a couple innings where we were a couple pitches away from getting right back in it. I think there in the fourth, we had Tyler (Watson) coming up with the bases loaded and they made a play that was a tough play. If that goes through and Tyler gets up and does what he can do, it's a different ballgame.

"But I'm not disappointed at all," he continued. "We have conference Monday, so our No. 1 and 2 pitchers are hopefully ready for Monday and Tuesday. We got a look at a lot of kids which is good, we have a couple kids out right now, so we get everybody back, we'll be fine."

Facing a big lead most of the night, North Putnam continued to fight and that was something their coach was happy to see.

"But I liked the way the kids hung in there. They didn't get down. They like playing baseball, so they just hung in there and kept playing and that's all you can ask of them," Fish concluded.

North Putnam will host Greencastle Monday at 5 p.m.

At North Putnam

Lebanon 261 304 -- 16 12 2

North Putnam 220 010 -- 5 4 2

WP -- Hoover (L)

LP -- Badten (NP)

HR -- Lebanon -- Molter 2, Day, Shipley

Next game -- North Putnam will host Greencastle Monday at 5 p.m.