Bulldogs reach 19 wins!
PHOTO BY RICH FOWLER
Batesville’s Jack Grunkemeyer makes a catch along the fence on Monday night in a 3-2 win over South Dearborn. The victory clinched an outright EIAC title for the Bulldogs.
Class 3A No. 9 Batesville came from behind in back-to-back contests to start the week and Bulldog baseball now has 19 wins on the season after those Monday and Tuesday victories.
Batesville is one game away from an unblemished mark in the Eastern Indiana Athletic Conference and sits at 19 wins on the season, the tops among area schools this spring inside the baseball ranks.
The fun for the Bulldogs started on Monday night as the crew celebrated Senior Night at Liberty Park with an exciting 3-2 win over South Dearborn. The two teams were tied 1-1 in the first inning before the Knights scored a run in the top of the third inning to go ahead 2-1. Batesville was able to battle back, tying the game in the fifth inning and scoring the go-ahead run a frame later in the bottom of the sixth.
Batesville slammed the door shut in the top of the seventh inning as South Dearborn was unable to extend the game and the Bulldogs officially put the wraps on an outright EIAC title, the second-straight for the program.
A solo home run by Zach Wade was a big spark for the Batesville offense and Wade finished 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run. Travis Lecher drove in a run and had a base hit while Max Baumer, Jack Grunkemeyer and Jacob Meer hit a double apiece. Luke Wilson and Will Jaisle scored a run apiece.
Clay Gentry was 2-for-3 with two RBI for South Dearborn. Ryan Willoughby hit two singles and Max Burger hit a double.
On the mound it was Dime Adams in relief getting the victory for the Bulldogs. Adams threw two innings and allowed no hits or runs with three strikeouts. Grunkemeyer was the starting pitcher and went five innings, giving up two earned runs on six hits with nine strikeouts and three walks. Adam Kunkel gave up an earned run on two hits in the sixth inning and was tagged with the loss.
Batesville came back on Tuesday night in Liberty to score two runs in the top of the seventh inning to upend Union County 4-3 in a non-conference game.
Batesville scored twice in the top of the sixth only to see Union County score two runs in the bottom of the inning to lead 3-2 heading into the final frame. The Bulldogs came through with two more runs in the top of the seventh and held the Patriots scoreless in the bottom half to get the victory.
Jaisle hit a double and drove in two Batesville runners while Wade and Baumer had an RBI apiece. Charlie Schebler went 3-for-4 with a run and Grunkemeyer had two hits. Will Sherwood had two stolen bases and a run.
John Ridenour had two hits and an RBI for Union County and Devyn Shepherd hit two singles. Grady Swafford was 1-for-3 with a run.
Jaisle notched a win in relief on the bump. The Batesville pitcher went two and two-thirds innings, giving up two unearned runs on two hits with seven strikeouts and two walks. Will Habig started the game and allowed an earned run on five hits with six strikeouts and a walk.
Union County’s Mason Stewart gave up two earned runs on two hits and was tagged with the loss. Starter Kyle Sams went five and two-thirds innings and gave up two earned runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts.
Batesville (19-4) concludes the regular season tonight at South Dearborn.
