BLANCHESTER — Zach West pitched a five-hitter and Sammy Roush had a key two-run single in the fifth as Blanchester beat Felicity 5-1 Monday at Bott Field.
Blanchester goes to 11-3 overall, 5-2 in the SBAAC National Division. The Wildcats are ranked No. 17 in the latest Division III Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association state poll.
Felicity falls to 4-5 on the year, 1-5 in league play.
“Hats off to the guys for not giving up and having a big fifth inning,” Blanchester manager Aaron Lawson said.
Despite being in complete control, West and the Wildcats trailed 1-0 going to the fifth. With Roush’s hit putting BHS on top, 2-1, the Wildcats sent 12 batters to the plate to take the 5-1 lead.
“Once we got the lead, I felt pretty good that Zach would lock it down for us,” Lawson said.
But the game was far from over. West hit two batters in the seventh and the Cardinals loaded the bases before the Blanchester righty worked out of the jam.
“He has been tremendous on the mound this year,” Lawson said. “You can’t teach presence. He’s always ready when he gets the ball and he thrives when he gets in those big moments.”
West did not walk a batter and struck out 12. He did hit three batters.
SUMMARY
April 24, 2023
@Bott Field, BHS
Blanchester 5, Felicity 1
F^0^1^0^0^0^0^0^(1-5-0)
B^0^0^0^0^5^0^x^(5-5-4)
(1) FELICITY (ab-r-h-rbi) Hutson 3-0-1-0 Foreman 3-0-0-0 Smith 4-0-1-0 Easter 3-1-1-0 Lykins 3-0-0-0 Jowers 3-0-1-1 Ninichuk 3-0-1-0 Oakley 2-0-0-0 Shelton 1-0-0-0 Harless 2-0-0-0 TOTALS 27-1-5-1
(5) BLANCHESTER (ab-r-h-rbi) Roush 4-1-1-2 Dees 2-1-0-0 West 1-1-0-1 Dick 2-0-0-1 Sipple 3-0-1-1 Jansen Wymer 3-0-0-0 James Wymer 3-1-2-0 Mueller 1-1-0-0 Elston 1-0-1-0 Adkins 0-0-0-0 Estep 2-0-0-0 Miller 1-0-0-0 TOTALS 23-5-5-5
2B: F-Smith
HBP: F-Hutson, Foreman, Harless; B-West
SB: F-Easter; Dick, Roush 2, West 4, James Wymer 2
PITCHING^ip^h^r^er^bb^so
FELICITY
Easter^3^1^0^0^2^5
Shelton (L)^2.1^3^5^5^2^1
Lane^0.2^1^0^0^0^0
BLANCHESTER
Z West (W)^7^5^1^0^0^12
