GREENVILLE – The first eight Tippecanoe batters all reached base on Wednesday, which set the stage for the Red Devils’ 17-1 rout of Greenville in a Greater Western Ohio Conference baseball game.
Greenville kept Tippecanoe, the leader of the GWOC’s American North division, in check Tuesday night in a 2-0 loss at Tipp City, but on Wednesday the Devils scored early and often on their way to a five-inning run-rule victory.
Tippecanoe sent 17 batters to the plate in the opening inning as Greenville surrendered six hits and seven walks. The Red Devils plated 12 runs in the frame to put the Green Wave in a big bind.
Greenville’s lone run on the night came in the bottom half of the first inning after Kyle Mills led off the inning with a single. He advanced to second on a Tippecanoe error, took third on a passed ball and scored on a RBI single by Tyler Beyke to bring the score to 12-1.
Those two first inning hits would be the only hits of the day for Greenville, however, while Tippecanoe continued to add to its offensive output.
After two batters were hit in the top half of the second inning, Tippecanoe got back-to-back RBI singles to drive in a pair of runs and increase its lead to 14-1.
In the third inning a pair of walks and an infield single loaded the bases. Tippecanoe turned two more of the base runners into runs with a sacrifice fly and a passed ball, bringing the score to 16-1.
The game’s final run was scored in the top of the fourth. After a one-out walk, a passed ball put a runner in scoring position and set up a RBI single to make it 17-1.
Beyke and Mills both were 1-for-2 in Wednesday’s game. Alec Fletcher also drew a walk for Greenville’s only other base runner.
Mills started on the mound for Greenville but only lasted 1/3 of an inning, allowing 11 runs on five hits, five walks and one strikeout. Colton Zumbrun finished out the first inning and allowed one run on one hit, two walks and one strikeout.
Cameron Kaiser pitched the final four innings for Greenville, allowing five runs on five hits, four walks, two hit batters and four strikeouts.
Greenville fell to 4-7 overall and 3-6 in the GWOC with Wednesday’s loss while Tippecanoe improved to 13-1 overall and 7-0 in the conference.
Greenville will return to action on Thursday at Wayne.
