The Switzerland County varsity baseball team has had a busy week:
— On Monday, May 7th, a Pacer rally in the bottom of the ninth inning proved to be the difference as Switzerland County defeated Milan 6-5 in extra innings.
Coach Chad Combs said that senior Kenyon Bledsoe had a great night on the mound, baffling the Milan hitters with his knuckleball. Bledsoe went seven innings, striking out seven while allowing nine hits and five runs, of which only three were earned. Austin South pitched the final two innings in relief to earn the victory. He struck out four and didn’t allow a hit or a run in an outstanding performance.
Offensively, Cade Rider stole home to tie the game in the sixth inning; while in the field Nate Scudder saved two runs with a diving play in rightfield.
At the plate, Bledsoe was 3-for-5 with three runs scored; Kaleb Harrell was 1-for-3 with a run scored; South was 3-for-5 with three RBI; and Rider was 1-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI. Nathan Thomas was 2-for-4 with a run scored in the game; Patrick Stow had a hit in four plate appearances; and Zach Weaver had a hit in three trips.
— Last Friday night, May 4th, the Pacers traveled to Rising Sun and fell to the Shiners by a final score of 6-3.
In a pitcher’s duel, Switzerland County’s Kyle Whitham matched up against Shiner Bryan Turner. Whitham went six innings, allowed seven hits and six runs, but just four of those were earned. He also struck out two, but suffered the loss.
South was 1-for-4 at the plate with two RBI and a run scored; while Rider was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Bledsoe was 1-for-3 with a run scored; and Harrell was 1-for-2 with a run scored.
— Wednesday, May 2nd saw the Pacers travel to South Ripley, and Switzerland County fell in a pitcher’s duel to the Raiders by a score of 2-1 in extra innings.
Bledsoe again was outstanding on the mound, going the distance and striking out four while giving up just four hits and the two runs while taking the loss.
Offensively, Stow was 2-for-3; Rider was 1-for-4 with the lone Pacer RBI; Bledsoe was 1-for-4; Harrell was 1-for-4; and South was 1-for-4 with a run scored.
— The Switzerland County bats were on full display on Tuesday, May 1st, when the Pacers pounded out a 21-2 victory over Carroll County that was stopped after five innings due to the 10-run rule.
Whitham was 4-for-4 at the plate with four RBI; and Stow was 3-for-3, and also had four RBI. Bledsoe had three hits in five at bats, scoring two runs and knocking in two more; Harrell was 1-for-3 with a run scored; and Zack Stout picked up his first varsity hit and two RBI.
South was 2-for-5 with three runs scored and an RBI; Rider was 1-for-4 with three runs scored and an RBI; and Weaver was 1-for-1 with a run scored and an RBI. Brandon Bennett, Scudder, and Edwards each scored runs in the blowout.