ADAMS TOWNSHIP — Luke Richardson raced home from second base on a bunt play in the seventh inning as Clinton-Massie edged Monroe 2-1 in a Div. II sectional baseball game at Paul Schwamberger Field.
Clinton-Massie, 20-7, will now face Ross 5 p.m. May 18 at Monroe High School in the lower bracket sectional championship game.
Ross, 21-4 on the year and champions of the Southwest Ohio Conference, was ranked No. 3 in this week’s Div. II state baseball poll.
Clinton-Massie played Ross in the first game of the season, 8-1. The Falcons defeated the Rams 6-2 in last season’s sectional tournament.
“It generally comes down to who pitches well and makes the fewest mistakes, so we’ll see,” CM coach Brian Camp said.
The Falcons and Hornets were locked into a pitcher’s duel of sorts. Neither team was able manage many hits — Massie had four and Monroe collected just one.
“It was a hard-fought game on both sides,” said Camp. “Their pitcher was equally as effective as Noah was for us. He had good stuff.”
However, the Hornets did reach base via 10 walks. CM starter Noah Greathouse was hard to hit. He struck out 11. However, he walked nine.
“I don’t think Noah had his best control but when he had to have it, he found it,” Camp said. “As a coach, you feel fortunate when you give up 10 (free) passes to skate out of the game 2-1. It could have been worse.”
Massie went up 1-0 in the third. Cam Collett, who walked and went to second on a Richardson sacrifice, came home on Greathouse’s single up the middle.
The Hornets responded with a run in the fourth on three consecutive walks.
Greathouse exited the game after six innings and Aric France took over to pitch a scoreless seventh.
In the bottom of the seventh with one out, Richardson reached on an infield single. With Richardson running, Max Murray put down a bunt. On the throw to first, the ball eluded the Monroe first baseman and Richardson high-stepped his way around third and to the plate. Richardson slid home just ahead of the throw to give CM the win and spark a wild, on-field celebration.
“When Luke gets on, it’s just magic for us,” said Camp. “His speed is electric.”
SUMMARY
May 11, 2017
@Paul Schwamberger Field
Clinton-Massie 2 Monroe 1
MO 000.100.0…..1
CM 001.000.1…..2
(2) CLINTON-MASSIE (ab-r-h-rbi) Richardson 2-1-1-0 Murray 4-0-1-0 Greathouse 2-0-1-1 Poynter 3-0-0-0 Wolf 3-0-1-0 Trampler 3-0-0-0 France 2-0-0-0 Eickenhorst 2-0-0-0 Collett 2-1-0-0 Thomas 1-0-0-0
PITCHING (ip-h-r-er-bb-so)
Greathouse 6-1-1-1-9-11
France (W) 1-0-0-0-1-0
