Busy week for Pacer baseball sees three wins in four games
As they head into the Sectional tournament beginning next week, the Switzerland County Pacer varsity baseball team has had a busy week.
Here’s a rundown of recent games:
Jac-Cen-Del
On Monday, May 16th, the Pacers defeated Jac-Cen-Del at home by a final score of 10-3.
The Eagles got on the board first with a run in the top of the first, but the Pacers roared back with three runs in the third, five more in the fourth, and two in the fifth.
Jac-Cen-Del managed two more runs in the top of the sixth, but Switzerland County earned the win.
Roman Hite was 2-for-2 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored in the game, and he also drew a walk and was hit by a pitch.
Bryce Turner was 1-for-3 with a double in the contest, driving in two runs and scoring once. He also added a stolen base.
Kaleb Koons was 1-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI and a stolen base; Austin Bosaw was 1-for-3 with an RBI and a stolen base and he also reached when he was hit by a pitch; and Drew Chatham was 1-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI and a stolen base.
Jackson Sparks was 2-for-2 with a run scored; Ben Hicks was 1-for-4 with a run scored and a stolen base; Cam Craig was 1-for-1 with a walk; and Trace Johnson stole three bases.
Sparks went the distance on the mound, allowing seven hits and two earned runs while striking out 14.
Oldenburg
The Pacers traveled to Oldenburg to take on the Twisters on Saturday, May 14th, and came home with an 8-5 victory.
The sixth inning proved to be the big one offensively, as Switzerland County scored all eight of its runs in the top of the inning, then saw Oldenburg score all five of its runs in the bottom of the frame.
Bryce Turner led the offense for Switzerland County, going 3-for-3 with a home run and a double; two RBI, two runs scored, and he also reached base via a walk.
Cooper Todd was 2-for-4 with an RBI; Kaleb Koons was 1-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI; Roman Hite was 1-for-4 with a run scored.
Ben Hicks was 1-for-4 with a run scored an RBI, and a stolen base; and Jackson Sparks was 1-for-3 with a run scored a stolen base and an RBI.
On the hill, Drew Chatham started and went 5 1/3rd innings, striking out three and allowing seven hits and five earned runs. Sparks took over and pitched the final 1 2/3rd innings, striking out one and allowing one hit and one walk.
Shawe Memorial
On Thursday, May 12th, Switzerland County made the trip to Madison to take on the Hilltoppers of Shawe Memorial, and behind a strong pitching performance by Roman Hite, the Pacers earned a 5-3 victory in extra innings.
Hite went eight innings on the mound, striking out six while allowing just six hit and two walks. Once three of the six runs that the Hilltoppers scored were earned.
Offensively, Switzerland County scored two runs in the top of the eighth inning to claim the win.
The Pacers got off to a hot start, scoring three runs in the top of the first, while the Hilltoppers responded with a single run in the bottom of the first. Shawe then added two more in the bottom of the third to tie the game at 3-3, and it remained that way through regulation.
Kaleb Koons was 3-for-5 at the plate with a run scored; while Bryce Turner was 1-for-3 with a run scored and two RBI.
Austin Bosaw had an RBI in the game; while Hite finished 2-for-5 with a run scored. Evan Halstenberg had a hit in four trips; and Cooper Todd picked up two walks.
Rising Sun
Last Wednesday, May 11th, the Pacers fell to Rising Sun in a road game by a score of 4-0.
The Shiners got three runs in the bottom of the first and another run in the bottom of the third; while Shiner pitcher Peyton Merica held the Pacers without a run and just three hits and one walk.
Switzerland County got three singles in the game — one each by Bryce Turner, Kaleb Koons, and Ben Hicks. Turner also drew a walk.
Turner started on the mound, going four innings and allowing three hits and four walks while striking out eight. The Switzerland County defense was shaky in the contest, as only one of Rising Sun’s four runs were earned.
Roman Hite pitched the final two innings to close the game.