Franklin Monroe defeats Troy Christian in an OHSAA tournament baseball game

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PITSBURG – In a second round sectional baseball game at Pitsburg’s second-year diamond complex the fifth seeded Franklin Monroe Jets flew past the perplexed eighth seeded Troy Christian Eagles, 2-1.

The win propels the Jets of Eddie Meyers into the sectional finals against on Wednesday at Covington. They will face Cross County Conference rival and No. 4 seed Tri- Village. The Patriots advanced by one run , eking out a win over Darke County foe and ninth seeded Mississinawa Valley, 1-0.

“ We did not know much about Troy Christian as we were to play them during the regular season and got washed out,” Meyers said. ”We were able to scout them in the game before where they won 5-4 over Northridge. The kids were eager to play and worked half the day to get the field ready to go.”

The Troy Christian Eagles sprouted their wings and bats the first inning in what turned out to be their only run of the game. Slone got on after one out with a base knock, Brown got to base via an error and Pavie paved the way for Slone to score on a single to right.

Zach Hyre of FM got out of the pickle by forcing Brown out at home on a fielder’s choice and striking out fellow pitcher Forrer on a high heater.

The next few innings saw Forrer and Hyre keep the bats flailing as if they needed some batters for hire. The pitchers kept the hitters off-balance with an array of fastballs, sliders and changeups to make it read one to zip halfway through the intense affair.

However, things changed for the refueled Jets in the bottom home of the fourth. Hyre helped his own cause by slapping a single to center. After two quick outs designated hitter Trevor Collins was hit by a pitch placing two on. Jared Bundenthal watched closely and took a tough walk for a bases-loaded situation. Right fielder Logan Ressler, batting from the eighth spot, hit the ball squarely on the spot to plate the only two runs of the game for the now flying Jets.

The fifth and sixth innings saw both teams threatening but not denting the scoreboard in this sectional semifinal. Hyre pitched through the heart of the Eagles order and gave up only two hits while his counterpart struck out the side in the fifth inning and gave up only one hit to Collins in the next frame.

The seventh inning ended up with Hyre taking the high road and blazing his fastball as fast as the sun was setting on the Pitsburg diamond. Hyre’s gem of the game ended up with a long out to deep left field at the fence for an exciting victory.

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By Ted Landis, Jr.

For The Daily Advocate

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