Nichirin offense spurs run-rule win

In Marshall County Babe Ruth action Thursday night, Nichirin opened up the doubleheader, bouncing back from a 12-5 loss to Marshall Medical Center on Tuesday with a 10-0, four-inning, run-rule win over the Farm Center of Chapel Hill.

The hose makers had six hits in the ballgame, but drew nine bases on balls, and were the recipients of six untimely errors committed by the Farm Center squad.

Gunner Southerland led the way offensively for Nichirin, going 2-2 with a base on balls, scored twice, and knocked in two runs.

On the mound, 12-year old Jay Howard pitched one inning of scoreless ball before leaving the game with a tired shoulder.

Cameron Isley came on to finish the ballgame for Nichirin on the hill as he gave up two hits, walked three Chapel Hill batters, and struck out one.

Howard pitched to four batters in the first before his squad put up three runs in the home half of the inning on just one hit.

Chapel Hill starter Ryan Yelensky hit Blake Darnell with a pitch to begin the game and then when Darnell took off to steal second, the Farm Center committed two errors on the play and Darnell trotted all the way home.

Yelensky issued back-to-back walks to Hunter Talley and Isley, and after a strikeout, a bloop single by Stuart Warner fell in shallow left to re-load the sacks.

Southerland worked an RBI walk and one out later; Tay Tay Davis drew another base on balls that scored Isley to make it 3-0.

Isley worked his way out of a two on, one out jam in the top of the second before Nichirin blew the game wide open with six runs in the bottom of the frame.

Talley, Isley, Southerland, and Connor Mealer all delivered RBI hits in an inning that was unnecessarily extended by two Farm Center miscues.

Chapel Hill had a scoring chance in the top of the third when they loaded the bases, but once again, the southpaw Isley squeezed his way out of the jam.

Nichirin threatened to score again in the bottom of the inning, but Boone Sweeney pitched his way out of the mess to send the ball game to the fourth inning.

Isley held the farm boys in check and then the game ended in the bottom of the fourth when Southerland led off with a single and moments later, crossed home plate with the winning run on another Chapel Hill miscue in the field.

Yelensky had the only two hits for Chapel Hill, while Talley, Isley, Warner, and Mealer all managed one base knock apiece for Nichirin.