Rivalry games rarely see one team roll over and quit when faced by a daunting deficit.

Thursday afternoon, between off and on spats of rain, North Harrison trailed 8-1 after 2 1/2 innings against inter-Harrison County nemesis Corydon Central. After chipping away with three runs in the bottom of the third and fourth innings, the Cougars found themselves back in business.

Come the fifth inning, North Harrison evened the score at 8-all, then took the lead for good in the sixth. Errors and a passed ball helped North Harrison add two runs in the frame, eventually winning 10-8 in the Mid-Southern Conference match-up in Ramsey.

“Usually, when we get down, we are down for the game,” said North Harrison senior first baseman/relief pitcher Evan Lasley. “I think in the third, when we scored three runs, the guys got really excited. It may be the most we’ve scored in one inning in awhile. It is our rival, so, we want to get the win. It was a fun game to play once we got past that first inning.”

Lasley pitched 4 1/3 innings of shutout ball to earn the win in relief. Not noted for his pitching, Lasley took the ball and gained confidence as the game tightened.

“I went out there and thew as hard as I could,” Lasley said.

“He said he would be there today if we needed him,” said North Harrison coach Kevin Fessel. “It was great to see him come out and pitch the way he did. That’s one of the best games I’ve seen him pitch, ever. I was happy for him.”

Corydon Central came off the bus with authority, using hot sticks to pound out 10 hits over the first three innings.

Senior Noah Windell was hit by the first pitch of the game out of North Harrison senior pitcher Ben Davis’ right arm. Soon, sophomore Jacob Chaires pulled a double down the left field line, driving in Windell. Indiana Wesleyan commit, senior Gabe Fleace, backed up Chaires with a single up the middle. Sophomore Chase Straub gave Corydon Central a run-scoring, opposite field liner that fell in front of the right fielder.

Senior Justin Richardson beat out an infield single for the Panthers, then Corydon Central made it 4-0 when sophomore Jaeden Singleton reached on an error.

“We came out swinging the bats which is what we said needed to happen,” said Corydon Central coach Robby Ort. “We came out in the top of the first and really hit them in the mouth. We couldn’t have asked for a better first inning.”

North Harrison put together some quality at bats in the bottom of the first. Kentucky Wesleyan College signee Jake Harley drew a lead-off walk and moved to second on a stolen base. He would score when Davis reached on an infield error.

Richardson, a transfer from Utah, took the start for Corydon Central on the hill. He struck out two to end the opening inning.

Corydon Central added two runs in the second and third innings. In the second, Windell and Chaires had hits to begin the frame. An RBI ground out by Straub brought in Windell while senior Braden Babcock was credited with a double to right on a ball the Cougars’ right fielder lost in the sun.

The third inning featured an RBI single by Corydon Central junior Avery Timberlake. Then, Timberlake and Windell teamed up for a double steal to swipe home and an 8-1 Corydon Central lead.

North Harrison began to formulate the rally in the third. A one out single by Harley began things as Justin Deatrick (a Central Methodist University signee) followed by reaching on an error. A catcher’s interference put Skyler Wetzel on as well. Two would score when Lasley hit a comeback shot off Richardson. A throwing error on the same play allowed another run to score.

In the fifth, Corydon Central issued four walks and hit a batter. Deatrick had the inning’s lone hit for North Harrison, bringing in a run. Two throwing errors from the catcher’s spot allowed runs to score as well, putting North Harrison within one, 8-7.

Fleece pulled off one of the defensive gems of the game, ending a bases loaded threat in the fifth with an over-the-shoulder diving catch. Running from his shortstop position, Fleace took away a potential multi-run play on a ball hit by Jadyn Martin by running toward left to make the grab.

“That was a heck of a play there,” said Ort. “We were up one and that would have scored maybe three for (North Harrison).”

North Harrison brought the game to a tie when Caden Smith hit a double to right, later scoring on an Armstrong single. Armstrong would finish with four stolen bases.

“We coach to be aggressive,” said Fessel. “We can do some positive things when we get base runners. We want to keep pressure on them. We tried to do it and were successful today.”

The pressure continued in the sixth. Wetzel hit a single and swiped second. Corydon Central reliever Logan Murphy fanned two straight batters, but the second, Colin Higdon, reached on a dropped third strike and throwing error. Wetzel scored the go-ahead run on the throw. Two batters later, pinch runner Mason Napper crossed the plate on a passed ball.

"When you get up 8-1, some relaxation kind of set in and it got us,” said Ort. “At this level, you can’t relax against anybody, especially if you are sitting at 3-6 (record). It’d be different if we were 8-1, but you have to credit North Harrison –– they kept putting the ball in play and we made errors. A lot of them were throwing. They were simple mistakes.”

Corydon Central outhit North Harrison 12-5 for the game.

“We’ve had to whether a few storms here lately,” said Fessel. “It was great to see these guys get a win … I think we had lost six straight and a couple it seemed like we found ways to lose. To pull this one off, the way we did it, is what we needed for this team. We were able to reverse the fortune.”

Corydon Central had two hit days out of Windell, Chaires, Babcock and Richardson. Babcock had two RBIs. The Panthers had seven errors.

“I’m really excited about this team despite this loss,” said Ort. “The pieces are there. Once we get the puzzle together, we are going to be really good. We showed that for the first 2 1/2 innings.”

North Harrison moved to 2-8 while Corydon Central dropped to 3-7.

“We have talked about that two strike approach,” said Fessel. “Early in the year, when we had two strikes, our approach never changed. Now we are starting to shorten things up and hit a fastball. We are getting better there. We are learning to play baseball.”

 

Corydon Central. 422  000  0 –  8  12  7

North Harrison     103  312  x – 10  5   2

W – Lasley, L – Murphy.

2B – Babcock (CC), Richardson (CC), Windell (CC), Smith (NH).

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