Greencastle exits sectional with loss to Wildcats

Thursday, May 26, 2011
Greencastle junior Ryan Pettit smacks a single to right field in Wednesday's contest against South Vermillion.

It was a night to forget for the Greencastle Tiger Cubs Wednesday. The Tiger Cubs opened sectional play against South Vermillion, with play being stopped multiple times for weather conditions, including a trip to McAnally as tornado-warning sirens blared.

Greencastle never found its groove throughout the game and the host Tiger Cubs lost to the Wildcats 3-1.

"They weren't themselves. I don't know if it was nerves tonight or what it was. It definitely wasn't the team that comes out and scores 10-15 runs in a game and hits the ball," head coach Troy Remsburg said.

It was clear from the opening pitch, something was different with Greencastle. The normally raucous dugout was virtually silent and the usual hop in its step in the field seemed to come and go.

Designated as the visitors on the scoreboard, Greencastle fell behind after only three batters from South Vermillion as Josh Vaughn drove in Scotty Johansen in the bottom of the first. The Wildcats added another run in the third inning to go up 2-0 on the Tiger Cubs.

Greencastle got their bats going in the fourth inning as Landon Miller hit hard double to the fence and was joined by Andy Bell on base after the junior beat out the throw. But as soon as the Lady Luck looked to be smiling on GHS, she once again turned her back on them.

The next batter, Keegan Remsburg, drove a powerful shot up the middle. But Wildcat pitcher Josh Vaughn snagged it and toss it to first for the double play to stall the Tiger Cub surge.

However, two batters into the fifth inning, junior Hunter Mitchell crushed a drive to right-center field for a triple and was driven in by Ryan Battin, cutting the South Vermillion lead to 2-1.

Looking to cut the lead even more, Miller got a hit to start the sixth inning, but was thrown out at second on a fielder's choice on a ball hit by Bell. Remsburg smashed a shot to right field on the following at bat, but right fielder Adam Smith gunned down Bell at third base on a close call for the third out of the inning.

The teams dealt with weather all night and in the bottom of the sixth inning, sirens began sounding and a mass pilgrimage was made to the McAnally Center once again halting the action.

The weather may have improved, but the luck for GHS did not.

As the Tiger Cubs took the field, Remsburg got Tre Stayer to fly out to Mitchell in right field for the first out, but walked Seth Dickey and an error allowed Kam Weyrauch to reach and Dickey to advance to third.

A short time later, starting pitcher Remsburg began his wind up and made a slight move to third as he brought his foot down when a shout came and the senior was cited for a balk to score Dickey. Remsburg took turns looking to the second base umpire and his dugout looking for an explanation. The call stood, however, and the Tiger Cubs had a deeper hole to dig themselves out of with only a half inning left.

"He said he didn't disengage, but I disagree with him. He's an umpire and he made the call, so there's nothing we can do about it," Remsburg said.

Unfortunately for GHS, it was a three up and three down top of the seventh, thus ending their season prematurely.

Miller was 2-for-3 with a double, while Remsburg adding a double and Mitchell a triple. Greencastle ends their season with a record of 12-11.

"As a whole they played great all year. Tonight just wasn't our night," Remsburg said.

At Greencastle

Class 3A No. 29 Sectional

Greencastle 000 010 0 -- 1 6 1

S. Vermillion 101 001 x -- 3 6 1

WP -- J. Vaughn

LP -- Remsburg

3B -- Mitchell (GHS), Johansen (SV)

2B -- Remsburg (GHS), Miller (GHS)