The Switzerland County High School baseball team continues to have an outstanding season heading into the upcoming Sectional tournament.
Here’s a rundown of last week’s action:
– On Wednesday, May 10th, the Pacers hosted defending State Champion Providence, and fell by a final score of 16-0.
“We kept it tight for the first six innings,” Pacer head coach Chad Combs said. “Kyle (Whitham) threw a solid game, while our bats were controlled by some outstanding pitching. The feature three D-1 commits with several other players going to smaller colleges. It was a good learning experience for us.”
Switzerland County trailed just 6-0 after six innings, but Providence scored 10 runs in the top of the seventh to put the game away.
Whitham went six innings, suffering the loss, striking out five and allowing seven hits and all six runs were earned. Nate Thomas went 1/3 of an inning, allowing the 10 runs in the top of the seventh; while Patrick Stow finished off the final 2/3-inning to close out the game.
Austin South had the only hit of the game for the Pacers.
– On Saturday, May 13th, Switzerland County celebrated Senior Day with a scheduled doubleheader against Oldenburg Academy. The day was a fitting way to send off seniors Dalton Roark and Casper Stow, as the Pacers took the first game by a final score of 10-0 on the Mercy 10-run rule.
Roark started on the mound, going five innings and striking out seven while allowing just five hits and no runs to earn the win; and South struck out one in his one inning of work on the hill.
Offensively, Casper Stow was 2-for-3 with three runs scored and two RBI to cap his home career. The senior had a double and two stolen bases as well.
Roark was 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles, two runs scored and two RBI; and South was 1-for-3 with a double and a stolen base to go with two runs scored and an RBI.
Kenyon Bledsoe was 1-for-4 with an RBI; Whitham scored a run; and Coby Blanton scored two runs and added a stolen base.
In the second game of the doubleheader, Oldenburg forfeited after just three innings due to injuries and a lack of pitching due to the IHSAA pitch count rule.
The forfeit ruined an outstanding effort on the mound for Bledsoe, as he was hurling a no-hitter with three strikeouts through three innings.
In those first three innings, Roark provided the offensive firepower with a big home run to cap a game that saw his go 3-for-3 with a double, three runs scored and three RBI. South was 3-for-3 with a double, a stolen base, three runs scored and an RBI; while Casper Stow was 1-for-2 with three RBI.
Bledsoe was 2-for-2 with an RBI; Patrick Stow was 1-for-1 with two runs scored; and Blanton and Caleb Harrell each scored a run.
– The Pacers were back in conference play on Monday, defeating Jac-Cen-Del by a final score of 11-2 as the offense kept rolling.
“Casper threw a great game and had a big day at the plate,” Combs said of his senior.
Casper Stow was 3-for-3 at the plate with three runs scored, two stolen bases and an RBI; while South continued his outstanding season at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and two more knocked in.
Roark was 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI; Logan Bennett was 1-for-1 with an RBI; Whitham had an RBI; Harrell and Brandon Bennett each scored a run; and Blanto scored two runs and added a stolen base.
On the hill, Casper Stow went 6 2/3-innings, allowing just two earned runs while striking out seven and giving up seven hits and one walk. South went the final 2/3-inning to close the win.
The Pacers close their regular season with a home game against Scottsburg tomorrow (Friday) night, before entering Sectional play.