Bulldogs sink Pirates for Sectional 29 title
RICH FOWLER
Batesville baseball avenged two regular season losses to Greensburg and beat the Pirates on Monday for the Class 3A Sectional 29 Championship. It is the second title for the Bulldogs in three years.
It had to be one of the most enjoyable sectionals around for high school baseball as each tournament game came down to the wire but in the end it was the host school most deserving of hoisting a trophy as Batesville knocked off rival Greensburg 3-1 on Monday night to claim the Class 3A Sectional 29 Championship.
Greensburg (20-8), was denied a chance at a repeat crown and a 3-0 season sweep of the Bulldogs. Batesville is a sectional champion for the first time since 2024 and is now on a four-game win streak.
With regards to scoring it was a pretty simple line. Each team plated a run in the first inning and Batesville took the lead for good with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. But at least for Batesville it was a victory that was earned and a bit more complicated than the numbers.
The blue and white turned two double plays, one of which came when Greensburg loaded the bases early in the evening and the other with the Pirates threatening yet again. Ronan Post and Noah Weigel were clutch on offense. Post doubled and tripled and drove in two runs while Weigel singled, scored off a Post hit and also drove in pinch runner Jake Schornick. Will Huber had the other base knock for Batesville.
The other Post RBI brought home Brayden Maple who delivered on the mound and got the pitching win. Maple toed the rubber for five solid innings and surrendered just an earned run on four hits with five strikeouts and three walks. The only damage was a wild pitch that scored Ethan Smith in the top of the first as four other Pirates reached on a hit but failed to score.
Carson Meyer relieved Maple for the final two innings. He gave up a hit but did strike out three batters against one walk to notch the save. Greensburg’s Luke Hoeing took the loss after throwing a complete game, going six innings and giving up three earned runs on four hits with six strikeouts and two walks.
Batesville (17-10) heads to Floyd Central on Saturday at 3 p.m. and faces No. 12 Providence (24-5). The Pioneers shut out Charlestown 4-0 in a Sectional 30 Championship on Monday.
