ELKHART — South Bend Adams used two big innings Thursday, April 12 to
best Elkhart Memorial 14-2 in a six-inning non-conference high school
baseball game.

The visiting Eagles (2-2) racked up seven runs in the third inning and
six more in the sixth in topping the Crimson Chargers (2-3).

Senior Breckin Brown, hitting in the No. 8 slot for Adams, drove in
four runs with two of his team’s 11 hits.

Driving in two runs each for the Eagles were junior Zac Gray and
senior Cooper Lee. Lee, sophomore Benny Thompson and senior Thad
Skipper scored two times apiece.

“Every game we’ve played in, we’ve out-hit everybody,” said Eagles
coach Mike Cass. “They’re hitting what’s given to them. They’re
hitting the fastballs and they’ve going after it. I’m proud of them
for that.”

Senior right-hander Kage Haeck (2-0; 6 innings, 2 runs, 4 hits, 4
walks, 2 strikeouts) went the distance as the winning pitcher.

“He got ground balls and got outs,” said Cass of Haeck. “We had the
defense behind him today.

“We had one error today. We had eight (Wednesday in a 12-3 loss to John Glenn).”

Memorial employed five pitchers — junior Landon Lee (2 2/3 innings, 7
runs, 5 hits, 3 walks, 2 strikeouts), junior Matt McQueen (2 1/3
innings, 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 walks, 1 strikeout), senior Wheaton Webb (1
innings, 1 run, 2 hits, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts), junior Caden Ewen (1/3
inning, 6 runs, 1 hit, 1 walk, 0 strikeouts) and senior Dylan Pressler
(2/3 innings, 0 runs, 1 hit, 3 walks, 0 strikeouts). The first four
are right-handers while Pressler is left-handed. Lee (0-1) absorbed
the loss.

The Chargers yielded the seven walks and also hit three batters, one
wild pitch and committed three fielding errors.

“I give them credit for getting some timely hits, but we’ve got to
stop giving teams opportunities,” said Memorial coach Scott Rost. “Our
free-base count in our three losses is enormous.

“You can’t play good baseball teams and expect to win games when
you’re giving up 15, 16, 17 free bases a game. That’s got to be our
focus if we’re going to make any progress.”

With Ewen on to pitch for the Chargers, Lee led off the Adams sixth
inning with a single to left and later scored on a Memorial error.

Thompson reached base when he was hit by a pitch and later scored on a
sacrifice fly to right field by sophomore Kendell Sanders.

Junior Quentin Atkinson, who reached base by error, later scored from
third base on a Ewen wild pitch.

Courtesy runner Skipper (running after sophomore Brock Notestine was
hit by a pitch) scored on a fielder’s choice by Gray.

A two-run single to left by Lee knocked in Brown and Martens.

Memorial got its second run when senior Braden Baer walked and scored
on a two-out single to right by Pressler.

The Eagles assumed a 8-1 lead with a one run in the top of the fifth inning.

With Webb on to pitch for the Chargers, Notestine cracked a lead-off
double to right field and scored on a single to center by Brown.

The inning ended on a double play. Webb snagged a line drive off the
bat of freshman Bryce Martens and fired to senior shortstop Nolan
Grose to double Brown off second base.

Adams went ahead 7-1 with seven runs in the top of the third inning.

Sophomore Jaccar Watson led off the Eagles third inning by pulling a
triple to right field and crossed the plate on an infield single by
Gray.

Martens walked, moved to second base on a fielder’s choice and scored
on a one-out double to center field by Thompson.

Thompson registered the third run when Notestine drew a bases-loaded walk.

A three-run triple to right-center by Brown put the Eagles ahead  6-1.

Scoring on the hit were Lee (on base by fielder’s choice), Thompson
and Atkinson (on base by error).

McQueen relieved Lee and Watkins greeted him with a single to right
that plated courtesy runne Skipper (who was running for Notestine) for
the 7-1 advantage.

Memorial tallied the game’s first run in the bottom of the first inning.

Grose rapped a one-out double down the left field line, moved to third
base on an infield single by senior Jordan Siddons and scored on a
groundout by senior Brad Melendez.

Adams travels to South Bend St. Joseph Friday, April 13.  Memorial
goes to Elkhart Central Saturday, April 14.

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