Bobcats come up short in bid for D-II district repeat

The Indian Creek High School baseball team came through with some timely, late game hitting while Cambridge left five runners stranded in the final two innings leading to a 4-2 victory for the Redskins in Division II Sectional playoff action on Tuesday at Don Coss Stadium at the Cambridge City Park.

Indian Creek strung together three singles in the top of the seventh inning to break a 2-2 tie and push across the eventual game winning runs.

Leadoff hitter Ty Householder drew a walk to start the inning before being eliminated on a fielders’ choice by Jack Amis. Aiden Orr followed with single to shallow centerfield to put runners on first and second.

Clean up hitter Landon Pawnall jumped on the first pitch he saw and drove a liner to right field. Amis, hustling from second base, beat the throw to plate to give Creek the 3-2 lead. Sy Howell followed with another single to center field. A bobble by the centerfielder allowed Orr to score just ahead of the throw to the plate.

“These guys are very disciplined at the plate,” Indian Creek coach Mike Cottis said. “We were up their hunting fastballs and they saw some good ones and put some good stick on it. We hit it hard early too, but they didn’t fall but we stuck with the plan, and it worked out for us.”

At that point, Bobcat mentor Jamaal Lowery was forced to remove his ace, Jake Valentine, from the game.

“Jake gave us everything he had tonight,” Lowery said. “He held them scoreless for the third, fourth, fifth and sixth. We just didn’t give him enough run support.”

Caden Moore came on in relief to record two quick outs, but the damage had been done. Cambridge was down 4-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning and, as they have all season, tried to comeback.

Pinch hitter Parker Long led off with a bloop single to center field before Drew Yanico reached on a perfect bunt to the left side of the infield. Leadoff hitter Keaton Kyser drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases and end Trevor Lash’s night on the mound.

“We had bases loaded and nobody out in the bottom of the seventh with our two, three, four coming up,” Lowery recapped. “You’re sitting pretty good in that situation and nine times out of ten, they do what they’re supposed to do.”

Closer Howell came into a tough situation and induced infield pop-ups by the Bobcats two- and three-hole hitters before getting the final out on a long-fly ball to the left field corner.

The Bobcats stranded two runners in the sixth inning after Bryce Murdock doubled over the centerfielder’s head and Indian Creek intentional walked Valentine. The lefthanded Lash coaxed a fly ball and a pop up to freeze the runners before ending the frame with a ground out to third.

Lash kept Cambridge off-balance most of the night scattering six hits and four base-on-balls while recording three strikeouts to earn the win.

“Trevor Lash is the epitome of a crafty lefty,” Indian Creek coach Mike Cottis said. “He keeps guys off balance and pounds the zone. We told him before the game to let his defense make the plays and we go ourselves a shot.”

Lowery was also complementary of Lash.

“The little lefty, not much velo behind it. We just popped everything up in the air today,” Lowery said. “I think we only had two solid hits, Bryce and Jake in the first inning.”

Creek scored the first run of the game in the first inning. Amis ripped a triple to the right-center field gap and scored on an infield single up the middle.

Cambridge responded in the second inning when Valentine followed a Bryce Murdock two-out single with a blast over the leftfield fence to give the Bobcats an early 2-1 lead.

“We got those two runs early off the home run Jake hit, but unfortunately from there, we couldn’t score,” Lowery said.

Creek answered to tie the score in the top of the second inning as Caleb Bodo reached on an error and scored on a single by Lucca Morelli.

Cambridge’s Valentine and Indian Creek’s Lash both put up zeros until the Redskin’s seventh inning rally.

Valentine left the game with one out in the seventh after giving up four runs on eight hits. He walked five and struck out four.

Valentine picked up the only two Bobcat RBIs of the game with his two-run round-tripper in the first inning. Murdock led the Cats with a single and a double while Caleb Bond, Long and Yanico each added a hit.

The Bobcats finish the season with a 15-6 record having won the OVAC 4-A championship three weeks ago.

“I had a core group of six seniors that are key part of this foundation being built for this program,” Lowery said. “I’m going to miss them like crazy, Caleb Bond, Drew Yanico, Caleb Campbell, Bryce Murdock, Parker Long and Adam Smith. I want to thank them for everything they have done for this program and wish them best of luck in their futures.”