Nichirin advances to Gold Pool title game

Anthony S. Puca Sports Editor
Posted 7/15/20

The Marshall County Babe Ruth League regular season champions Nichirin took on the Columbia Red Birds in the Gold Pool loser’s bracket game Wednesday and came away with a close 5-4 win.

Nichirin had seven hits in the game with James Hery going a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored, an RBI, a stolen base, and one base on balls.

Trey Warner picked up the win on the mound, giving up two runs (one earned) on three hits while striking out six and walking three.

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Nichirin advances to Gold Pool title game

Posted

The Marshall County Babe Ruth League regular season champions Nichirin took on the Columbia Red Birds in the Gold Pool loser’s bracket game Wednesday and came away with a close 5-4 win.

Nichirin had seven hits in the game with James Hery going a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored, an RBI, a stolen base, and one base on balls.

Trey Warner picked up the win on the mound, giving up two runs (one earned) on three hits while striking out six and walking three.

Colton Flick pitched one inning to get the hold and Baylin Luttrell earned the save.

Ethan Sworish led off the game and was hit on the arm by a Warner pitch.

Sworish was thrown out by Rob Hawkins at second base on a steal attempt and then left the game.

It was reported later that Sworish had suffered a broken arm and everyone hopes the young man makes a speedy recovery.

Warner retired the next two batters in order and then doubled to left/center field to lead off the home half of the frame.

James Hery roped his first hit of the night to put Nichirin runners on the corners before Warner scored on a wild pitch.

Grayson Miller and Luttrell drew back-to-back bases on balls and Hawkins made it a 2-0 contest with a fielder’s choice RBI.

Warner was strong on the mound in the top of the second inning, striking out two out of the three batters he faced.

Flick singled to lead off the bottom of the inning and Warner walked with one out.

James Hery beat out an infield single to load he sacks.

Red Birds’ starting pitcher Koen Fagan struck out the next three Nichirin batters on order, but a pair of passed balls cost them two more runs and a 4-0 deficit.

The Red Birds loaded the bases with one in the top of the third inning, but a strikeout and an infield pop-up ended the threat.

Austin Grooms came to the hill for the Red Birds in the bottom of the inning and held Nichirin scoreless.

Luke Uselton reached on a leadoff error in the top of the fourth, stole second base and went to third on a wild pitch.

Fagan drew a walk and Grooms made it a 4-2 game with an RBI single to left field.

Warner got the next batter out before Derek Keen singled to left and Kam Street walked with the bases loaded to cut the Nichirin lead in half at 4-2.

Warner came up huge, whiffing the next two Red Birds’ batters and his teammates got another run in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by Hawkins to make it 5-2.

Chris Gilbert singled to right field to lead off the top of the fifth inning, stole second base and came around to score on consecutive wild pitches by Flick.

Uselton followed with a base on balls, but was gunned down by Hawkins trying to steal second base.

Flick struck out two out of the next three batters he faced and the game went to the bottom of the fifth where Grooms also whiffed two out of three to send the contest to the final inning.

Keen led off with a walk, stole second base, went to third on a passed ball, and scored on a wild pitch to cut Nichirin’s lead to a single run at 5-4.

Street came up with a walk before a line drive double play put Nichirin within one out of the victory.

The Red Birds stayed alive as Andy Reed walked, Gilbert was hit by a pitch, and Uselton drew a base on balls to load the sacks before Fagan popped-up to Reid Mitchell at first base to end the game.

Thank you Red Birds for coming over to Lewisburg to play this summer!

Red Birds 000 211-4 4 1

Nichirin 220 10X-5 7 1

Red Birds: Chris Gilbert 1-for-3, Jake Uselton 1-for-2, Koen Fagan 1-for-3, Derek Keen 1-for-2.

BB: Kam Street 3, Uselton 2, Andy Reed, Fagan, Austin Grooms, Keen.

RS: Gilbert, Uselton, Fagan, Keen.

RBI: Grooms, Street.

HBP: Ethan Swoish, Gilbert, Street.

ROE: Uselton.

SB: Uselton 2, Gilbert, Keen.

CS: Swoish.

LIDP: Jack Argue.

LOB: 10

E: Argue.

LP: Koen Fagan (2IP, 4H, 4R, 3ER, 3BB, 4K).

Relief: Austin Grooms (3IP, 3H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 5K).

Nichirin: James Hery 3-for-3, Trey Warner 1-for-2, Grayson Miller 1-for-2, Rob Hawkins 1-for-3, Colton Flick 1-for-2.

BB: James Hery, Miller, Baylin Luttrell.

RS: Warner 2, James Hery 2, Flick.

2B: Warner.

RBI: Hawkins, Lucas Hery.

ROE: Luttrell.

FC: Lucas Hery.

SB: James Hery, Miller, Luttrell.

LOB: 6

E: Luttrell.

WP: Trey Warner (4IP, 3H, 2R, 1ER, 3BB, 6K).

Hold: Colton Flick (1IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER, 2BB, 2K).

Save: Baylin Luttrell (1IP, 0H, 1R, 0ER, 3BB, 0K).