rodneyb@harrisondaily.com
The new turf and perfect weather at Jack Williams Field set the scene for 4A-1 baseball action between Harrison and Berryville on Tuesday evening.
In the first conference game of the season for both squads, Harrison turned the bats loose in the second inning while holding the Bobcats scoreless throughout the game in an 11-0 victory.
Entering the bottom of the second inning, Berryville’s Chris Hipps and Dylan Higgins had recorded hits, but Berryville left both runners stranded.
The 0-0 score didn’t stay that way long as the Goblins went through the entire order and posted seven runs in the second.
Logan Plumlee and Tristan Thompson were the first Harrison batters to reach. Both took a base after Berryville fielding errors and the bases loaded when Timber Crenwelge laid down a bunt and beat the throw to first. Jarrett Wilson earned the first RBI of the conference season by hitting into a four-three out that sent Plumlee home. Thompson later scored on a wild pitch. Sloan Barrett was next to the batter’s box and was hit by a pitch followed by Kaden Quandt getting walked.
With the bases loaded and Dylan Block up to bat, the Harrison senior took full advantage of the one-out situation. Block drove a pitch deep into left field for a three-RBI standup triple that sent home Crenwelge, Barrett and Quandt to make it a 6-0 lead.
Harrison’s final run of the second came from Brody Gilliam after pinch running Beck Jones. Jones hit a line drive to the shortstop and beat the six-three throw. Gilliam made its 7-0 game after Plumlee reached for the second time in the frame following a standup double to centerfield.
Berryville began the third with Kole Coatney and Chris Hipps each getting walked but Coatney was later thrown out trying to steal his second base of the inning and Hipps was left stranded just two batters later.
The Goblins produced one run in the bottom of the third when Wilson dropped his first pitch into short centerfield and then moved to second when Barrett was walked. Wilson then stole third and scored on a sacrifice fly from Quandt.
Harrison’s defense was short-lived int he fourth as they got their first out on a grounder back to pitcher Cy Madden and then turned a double play after the next batter was walked.
Three runs in the bottom of the fourth set the final score.
Jones reached for the second time of the day with a walk and Lee Catt became the next pinch runner. Crenwelge was then hit by a pitch and a well-executed bunt from Wilson loaded the bases with two outs.
Barrett then faced a full count on his final at bat of the game. All runners took off during the delivery of the pitch and Barrett crushed it to left-center field for a double that earned the senior three RBI.
Berryville’s last chance to keep the game alive in the fifth began with Higgins being walked.
Harrison then sent Gilliam to the mound to finish the game.
D.J. Colbert put a second Bobcat runner on base with a hit to right field followed by Coatney putting the ball on the ground and beating the five-three throw.
Gilliam earned the save by striking out the next batter and a fly-out to center field ended the game.
Madden earned the win on the mound for Harrison allowing two hits in the shutout with three strikeouts. Gilliam’s save featured two hits and a strikeout.
Wilson’s two hits led the Goblin bats while Barrett, Jones, Block, Plumlee and Crenwelge had one hit each.
Wilson and Crenwelge had two hits each while Barrett, Catt, Gilliam, Block, Plumlee, Thompson and Quandt each crossed home plate once.
