LINDEN — North Montgomery’s defense let them down late in the game Tuesday which led to a 7-3 loss to Sagamore Conference foe and Class 3A No. 3 Lebanon. Two sixth inning miscues allowed the Tigers to turn a close 2-1 ballgame into five runs which propelled them to a 7-3 victory.
Charger coach Ryan Nuppnau said the ballgame was fun for four innings, until his team started making miscues.
“It was a great first four innings,” Nuppnau said. “Then we just kind of fell apart. We misplayed some pop ups and misplayed a couple of bunts which really hurt.”
The first four innings was a pitchers’ duel between Charger Jarrod Kirsch and Tiger Logan Ellsbury. Neither pitcher allowed a run the first four innings. In fact, Ellsbury had a perfect game after four frames.
Finally Lebanon (11-2, SAC 7-1) was able to scratch across two runs in the top of the fifth inning when Cininatti baseball commit Garret Harker’s singled in Cayman Huntsman who had earlier earned a walk to start the inning. Harker ended up scoring when Brayden Bowen singled with two outs.
North Montgomery (10-5, 3-4) answered in their half of the fifth inning when Jacob Braun was hit by a pitch and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly to deep right field by Max Verduin making the score 2-1 Lebanon.
The sixth inning started rough for North Montgomery pitcher Jarrod Kirsch. He hit the first batter then surrended a single followed by a misplayed sacrifice bunt which loaded the bases.
Jakob Kirsch was called in to put out the fire and he recorded a strikeout for the first out in the inning. However, a Charger error and another hit batsmen allowed Lebanon to load the bases a second time in the inning. Lebanon’s Michal Richwine responded with a 2-RBI single to complete the scoring in the inning.
Jakob Kirsch was able to break up Elsbury’s no-hitter with a single in the in the sixth inning.
North Montgomery scored two runs in the final inning. Jarrod Kirsch and Ross Dyson each singled to start the inning. Jordan Miller and Brooks Walters each recorded an RBI later in the inning.
Nuppnau was disappointed with his team’s performance, especially the offense early in the game.
“We never were able to get anything going until it was too late,” Nuppnau said. “We know we are better than what we were tonight.We are a young team and we just have to undestand game situations.”
Both teams will battle at Lebanon tonight.
