GHS splits with Bulldogs

Thursday, May 5, 2011

MONROVIA -- Greencastle pounded out its largest offensive production of the season Wednesday, beating Monrovia 18-8 in five innings in a West Central Conference baseball game on the Bulldogs' field.

The victory gave the Tiger Cubs (4-6, 3-2 WCC) a split for the day. Monrovia (9-3, 5-1 WCC) won the first game of the doubleheader, 9-0.

"We showed up for the second game, but not the first," Greencastle coach Troy Remsburg said. "The turnaround was we put the bats on the ball. The boy (Jeremy Gray) that pitched for Monrovia in the first game did a good job, but we should be able to get more than two hits off him.

"We're a good hitting team. We didn't hit as well as we can in the second game, but it was pretty good. We had some walks and we ran the bases well."

Left-handed pitcher Tanner Parker went the distance for the Tiger Cubs. He allowed nine hits but had 11 strikeouts. Parker walked one.

"Parker pitched very well," Remsburg said. "We had some problems in the first (when Monrovia scored four runs), but he got into a groove and started throwing strikes. He found the strike zone well. His curve was working and when it is, he's a very effective pitcher."

Monrovia, ranked No. 8 in the state's 2A poll, took a 4-0 lead in the top of the first (it was designated the visiting team because it was a makeup of the rain out game scheduled for Monday at Greencastle).

Greencastle took a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the first. Ryan Battin led off with a home run, Keegan Remsburg drove in a run when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Hunter Mitchell drove in two runs with a single to center. Remsburg scored on a wild pitch

Landon Miller's solo home run in the second boosted Greencastle's lead to 6-4.

Monrovia scored three in the third to take a 7-6 lead.

Greencastle came back in the bottom of the third to score two runs on two walks, a single, a stolen base, a passed ball and a wild pitch for an 8-7 lead.

Notamel Velasquez drove in two runs with a single and Greencastle added a third run on a Monrovia error in the fourth for an 11-7 lead.

Greencastle scored seven runs on five hits in the fifth to end the game under the 10-run rule. Jesse Vermillion's sacrifice fly drove in the final run.

Battin had four hits, two RBIs and scored twice. Parker had a two-run double in the fifth and an infield single in the first. Miller had a single, double and home run, scored three runs and drove in one. Velasquez had two singles and three RBIs. Alec Pettit had a run-scoring single in the fifth. Vermillion had a single, a stolen base and scored two runs. Andy Bell scored two runs after reaching base from being hit by a pitch twice.

At Monrovia

First Game

Monrovia 9, Greencastle 0

2nd game

Monrovia 403 01 -- 8 9 4

Greencastle 512 37 -- 18 14 3

Zier, Benefiel (2), Judson (5) and Noel; Parker and Vermillion.

WP -- Parker. LP: Benefiel.

HR -- M--Stock, one on in first; G--Battin, none on in first; Miller, none on in second.