Elkhart Central Edges NorthWood with Walk-off Single in Eighth

ELKHART — Saving its best for last, Elkhart Central edged NorthWood
6-5 in eight innings Tuesday, April 10 in non-conference high school
baseball.

The Blue Blazers (2-0) scored four times in its last four at-bats to
best the visiting Panthers (2-1).

Central scored the walk-off game-winner with one out in the bottom of
the eighth.

Junior Jared Miller turned a 2-1 pitch from sophomore left-hander
Cooper Davis into a single to center that scored junior Patrick Yeakey
from second base with the winning run.

“He was just being patient and waiting for a good pitch that he could
hit for a line drive to the outfield,” said 23rd-year Blazers coach
Steve Stutsman of Jared Miller’s approach to his final at-bat. “That’s
what happened.”

With one out, Yeakey and senior Clayton Richards drew back-to-back
walks to set the stage for Miller’s heroics.

NorthWood left 11 runners on base for the game while Central stranded nine.

“It’s a grind and a battle of attrition,” said first-year NorthWood
coach A.J. Risedorph. “That’s what it comes down to.”

With four and three, respectively, junior Matt Dutkowski and sophomore
Jaden Miller accounted for all of NorthWood’s hits. Both drove in two
runs.

“Dutkowski has been solid for us all season in the 3-hole,” said
Risedorph. “He’s been hitting line drives and not trying to do too
much. He really looks like a nice little professional hitter. When I
see him, I see a Sean Casey. He has nice hands.

No. 9 hitter Jaden Miller, who belted a grand slam earlier in the
season against Westview, continued to be productive for the Panthers.

“We’re seeing what kind of pitches he can handle,” said Risedorph.
“Being in the latter half of the lineup helps him see some pitches he
likes. He’s a quality player.”

Both teams used three pitchers — all right-handers for the Blazers and
two rightys and a lefty for the Panthers.

Jake Shreiner (3 innings, 1 runs, 3 hits, 5 walks, 4 strikeouts)
started for Central and was followed by Jared Miller (4 innings, 4
runs, 4 hits, 4 walks, 2 strikeouts) and junior Brycen Sherwood (1-0;
1 inning, 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts) — the latter getting
the win.

The Panthers went with junior right-hander Alec Holcomb (5 innings, 2
runs, 4 hits, 4 walks, 2 strikeouts), senior right-hander Preston King
(1 inning, 3 runs, 1 hit, 4 walks, 0 strikeouts) and Davis (1-1; 1 1/3
innings, 1 run, 1 hit, 2 walks, 1 strikeout). The southpaw absorbed
the loss.

The pitch count rule came into play Tuesday. Both starters were
removed before they hit 80 pitches since reaching that plateau meant
another mandatory day of rest.

“With this pitch count thing you’re always making sure you know what
numbers he has,” said Stutsman, whose team is scheduled for four games
in the next five days. “We also took Miller out with the pitch count
so he can come back on Friday or Saturday if we need him.”

Risedorph said things like errors were extending the pitch counts for
his hurlers.

“In an era when we’re definitely paying attention to pitch counts it
plays a role in how deep these guys can go and when they can throw
again,” said Risedorph. “We’ve always got to keep our pitch counts
low.

“Holcomb started throwing really well there at the end, but we had to
keep him under 80 so we can throw him again Friday.”

NorthWood threatened in the top of the eighth inning.

With Sherwood relieving Jared Miller, Central stopped the rally with
an inning-ending double play — second baseman Shreiner to senior first
baseman Jared Reid. On the stretch, Reid came up lame.

Central pushed across two runs in the bottom of the seventh to send
the game into extra innings.

After King issued walks to the first two hitter Blazer hitters —
Shreiner and senior Taylor Holtzinger — Davis came on in relief.

Davis walked Reid to load the bases then got senior Jackson Wiltfong
to roll into a double play — senior second baseman Brant Mast to first
baseman Dutkowski — as Shreiner scored Central’s fourth run.

Junior courtesy runner Brennan Harrington (running for Holtzinger)
scored the tying run on a NorthWood fielding miscue off the bat of
Yeakey.

The Panthers scored one run in the top of the seventh inning for a 5-3
advantage.

With two outs, sophomore Jaden Miller drove in junior Kyler Hauptli
with the Panthers’ fifth run.

Hauptli drew a lead-off walk, moved to second on a sacrifice by
Holcomb and third on a pop-out.

The Blazers scored one run in the bottom of the sixth inning to pull within 4-3.

King came on in relief of Holcomb at the start of the frame.

Shreiner produced a lead-off infield single, stole second base, moved
to third on an errant NorthWood throw and scored on a sacrifice fly to
center by Reid.

“Jake is a competitor,” said Stutsman of Shreiner, who is listed
5-foot-8 and 145 pounds. “He’s just a bulldog.

“Jared Miller is the same way.”

The Panthers scored two runs in the top of the sixth inning to take a 4-2 lead.

Senior Brock Miller reached on a two-base error to open the frame for
the Panthers.

Jared Miller then coaxed a walk and senior Sawyer Warren reached on a
fielder’s choice to load the bases.

A sacrifice fly to deep center by Mast plated Brock Miller.

After Jared Miller threw out Warren at second base, Dutkowski rapped a
single to center to drive in Jaden Miller.

Holcomb extended his streak of Blazers retired to eight with a 1-2-3
fifth inning that featured running catches by right fielder Jaden
Miller and senior center fielder Payton Bear.

Jared Miller relieved Shreiner to begin the fourth inning. The first
batter the new Blazer pitcher faced — Jaden Miller — socked a lead-off
home run over the left field fence to forge a 2-2 tie.

Central plated two runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a 2-1 lead.

Senior Derek Deal reached one an infield single, moved to second base
on a single to center by Sherwood. During the play, both runners
advanced on a fielder’s choice.

Shreiner’s single to right knocked in Deal with the game-tying run.

Sherwood scored the go-ahead tally from third base on Holtzinger’s
sacrifice fly to center.

NorthWood scored the game’s first run in the top of the third inning.

After Mast drew a lead-off walk, he was driven home by a double to
center field by Dutkowski.

The Panthers left the bases loaded when Blazers first baseman Reid
scooped up a throw from third baseman Jared Miller for the third out.

On Wednesday, April 11, NorthWood goes to West Noble while Central
travels to Jimtown.