INDIANAPOLIS — A few years down the road, Greenfield-Central’s 2017 regional semifinal matchup may be remembered as the “Drey Jameson Game.”
Unfortunately for the Cougars, it was a game they lost, 1-0 in eight innings, to the No. 2 Cathedral Fighting Irish.
Jameson pitched 7.0 innings, struck out 14, and allowed no hits. But due to him reaching a pitch count of 120, he had to step off the mound.
“Drey’s only given up six earned runs all year,” Cougars coach Robbie Miller said afterward. “He’s no-hit Lawrence North this year as well, so we all know what he’s capable of when he gets the ball.”
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Click here to purchase photos from this galleryThe first seven outs Jameson earned were by strikeout, and he had 11 after five innings. Many of those early strikeouts were necessary for the Cougars, as errors and a few walks created jams.
In the first inning, the leadoff hitter for the Irish reached third base following an error and a wild pitch, but Jameson struck out the next three batters to prevent the Irish from a play at the plate.
In the bottom of the first, it appeared as if Jameson may spark his team at the plate as well, but he was robbed by Irish left fielder Jack Myers who dove on the warning track to make a catch. The next Cougars hitter, Tyler Farrell, singled to right field, but was unable to score.
After that, Cathedral pitcher Nick Eaton, an Indiana University commit, sat down the next 13 Cougar batters. Eaton would pitch 8.0 innings allowing only two hits and 10 strikeouts.
Greenfield-Central’s best scoring opportunity came off Jameson’s bat in the fifth inning, when he roped a ball to right-center field for a triple with one out. Cathedral brought the infield in and Tyler Farrell hit a rocket on the ground directly to the shortstop, which didn’t allow Jameson to get home.
“I told Drey if he hit it to the right side he should go,” Miller said. “But (Cathedral shortstop Kevin Flood) is going to Louisville and is a great player. I wouldn’t want anyone else up in that situation; Tyler Farrell is a warrior.”
Jameson again pitched out of a jam in the seventh inning to prevent the Irish from scoring, but that was the end of his day.
Freshman Adam Hutchison took the mound in the pressure packed situation, and he nearly got out of the inning. However, with two outs, Cathedral first baseman Jake Andriole stroked a single to left field and drove in the only run of the game.
“I just pitched a freshman in a regional game,” Miller said somewhat incredulously. “There isn’t going to be much more pressure he could face, which is one of the reason’s I put him in there. I think he’s got the talent to become a great player for our program.”
The loss brought Greenfield-Central’s season record to 18-11, and with Jameson heading off to Ball State, players like Hutchison will be counted on to make games like Saturday a regular occurrence according to Miller.
“If we keep working hard, I don’t see why we can’t keep getting back here.”
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Cathedral 1, Greenfield-Central 0
CHS (26-0); 000;000;01;—;1;3;0
GCHS (18-11); 000;000;00;—;0;2;2
WP: Nick Eaton (9-0) LP: Adam Hutchison (2-2)
3B: Drey Jameson
Notable: D. Jameson 7.0 IP, 0 H, 14 K.
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