FORT WAYNE — Class 2A No. 4-ranked South Adams scored all but one of its runs with two outs on the way to a 7-1 triumph against 3A’s Heritage. 

The Starfires (10-1) topped the Patriots (4-6) on the first day of the Parkview Sports Medicine Baseball Series at Parkview Field. 

South Adams broke a 1-1 deadlock with five two-out runs in the fourth inning. 

A full-count single to left by senior Keagan Yoder plated senior Mark Clary (who reached base on an error) and senior Terry Dawn (who singled to right). 

“That’s senior stepping up and getting a big hit,” said Starfires coach Brad Buckingham of Yoder. “He’s in the 9-hole. But what I tell the guys is that if you’re in the lineup, we believe in you.” 

Junior Grant Besser doubled to left drove in Yoder. 

Sophomore Nic Stuber smacked a single to right to drive home Besser with the fourth run of the frame. 

That’s when senior right-hander Nicholas Bosler took over for junior right-hander Evan Whitman on the mound for Heritage. 

Nic Stuber scored when senior Joe Stuber reached base on one of Heritage’s even fielding errors. 

South Adams got one run in the sixth inning to take a 7-1 lead. 

Besser walked and later scored with two outs on a wild pitch. 

“Give a lot of credit to South Adams,” said Patriots coach Dean Lehrman. “That’s a talented, senior-laden team. They’ve been building that ball club for years over there. For us to be in the ball game, I was pretty proud of our kids. 

“We’re young. We start a lot of sophomores and a freshman at first base. As you saw the tally at the end of the game, we’re still green and we make some errors. We’ve got to overcome that. It’ll come.” 

The Starfires turned a double play for the first two outs in a scoreless Heritage sixth. 

After the first two runners reached base, junior Michael Scheumann lofted a ball which left fielder Yoder grabbed tossed to senior shortstop Isaiah Baumgartner who relayed to second baseman Joe Stuber to double off the runner. 

After getting into a jam — runners at second and third with no outs — Bosler racked up three consecutive strikeouts to close out South Adams in the fifth inning. 

Baumgartner led off the inning with a walk and Clary singled to left. 

In the Heritage fifth, Starfires sophomore first baseman Collin Shaffer made a diving catch in foul territory to retire senior Robert Lomow for the second out. Besser got the third out on a big curve ball. 

The Patriots left runners at the corner in a scoreless fourth inning. 

Left-hander Besser, who started the game at shortstop, relieved lefty Shaffer with one runner on and one out in the fourth inning. After walking the first batters he faced, Besser fanned the next two hitters to end the threat. 

Besser wound up as the winning pitcher while Whitman took the loss. 

“He’s a ballplayer,” said Buckingham of Besser. That’s the best way to put it about him. Not too often do you see a left-handed shortstop, but he’s a baller and he can play there. 

“He does a good job on the mound for us. He’s a lead-off hitter and works the count. He’s an all-around good baseball player.” 

South Adams tallied one in the third inning to forge a 1-1 tie. 

Besser walked with one out, moved to second on an error and scored on a single down the right field line by Nic Stuber. 

Heritage scored the game’s first run in the third inning. 

Lomow drew a two-out walked and trotted home on a triple to center by junior Preston Deakins. 

The Starfires left runners at second and third base in the second inning. Shaffer produced a lead-off single and Baumgartner walked.

Both moved up on a sacrifice fly, but got no further. 

The Patriots had a runner cut down at the plate for the final out in the second inning. 

Bosler walked, moved to second on a wild pitch and tried to score on a fielder’s choice up the first base line by sophomore Chase Luginbill. 

South Adams second baseman Joe Stuber fielded the ball and threw to catcher to Clary to retire Bosler. 

Both teams went down in order in the first inning. 

Heritage goes to Adams Central Wednesday, April 25 and Fort Wayne Wayne visits South Adams Friday, April 27.

SHOWCASES

SHOWCASE	STATE	DATE	LOCATION
Improve My Profile with HS Game Video	IN	06/03	Indiana
2018 Summer Trials	IN	06/05	Grand Park - Westfield, IN
2018 Top Prospect Games	IN	06/12	Purdue University - West Lafayette, IN
Future Prospects Showcase & Educational Camp	IN	06/26	Grand Park - Westfield, IN
Mid-Summer Open, Fort Wayne	IN	07/10	Carroll High School - Fort Wayne, IN
PBR ProCase - Midwest	IN	07/10	Silver Cross Field - Joliet, IL
Mid-Summer Open, Region	IN	07/17	Hobart High School
2018 Underclass Games (Invite Only)	IN	07/24	Indiana University - Bloomington, IN
Prospect Games at Notre Dame	IN	07/24	University of Notre Dame - Notre Dame, IN
2018 PBR Future Games (Indiana Invite Only)	IN	08/01	Grand Park - Westfield, IN
PBR Junior Future Games (Invite Only)	NATIONAL	08/02	Grand Park - Westfield, IN
GPA Games	IN	08/12	Lee Pfund Stadium - Carol Stream, IL