For the Daily Reporter
GREENFIELD — Friday night saw two of three games the Greenfield-Central Cougars and Mt. Vernon Marauders are scheduled to play against each other. Round one goes to the Cougars, who swept a Hoosier Heritage Conference doubleheader against their county rivals.
Greenfield-Central won a tight game, 9-7 in game one, and they won game two 14-3.
Game one was a back and forth affair from the get-go. The Marauders manufactured a run to take an early lead an on RBI single by Hunter Dobbins, but Greenfield-Central would answer with three runs of their own in the bottom of the frame with two doubles and a single from Adam Hutchison, Brady Mundell, and Bradley McDowell respectively.
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After the Marauders tied the game in the second inning on a two-RBI double by Jake Stadler, McDowell put the Cougars back on top with a no-doubter two-run homer to right field.
The lead would change hands in both halves of the sixth inning, as Mt. Vernon’s aggressive base running lead to three runs. Stadler’s single gave him another RBI and his team the lead.
The Cougars were able to capitalize on Marauder wildness in the bottom of the frame, as three consecutive walks to start the inning provided the difference in the game. Two fielder’s choices and an RBI single by Nick Atwood gave the Cougars the runs they would need to win. Mt. Vernon had runners on second and third in the final inning but was unable to score.
“I really liked our approach at the plate in the first game,” Cougars coach Mark Vail said. “We were put in a spot where we had to score some runs and we stayed patient and did it.”
As for game two, walks again came back to bite Mt. Vernon. In a five-inning game, the Cougars drew 15 walks from the Marauders pitching staff. Nearly every walked batter scored.
Cougars ace Adam Hutchison was in control on the mound in game two, allowing one run and four hits in four innings.
“It was a bit of a strange spot, knowing we play them in sectionals coming up,” Vail said. “But with the conference race the way it was we needed to win these games, so we went for it.”
With New Palestine and Pendleton Heights splitting their doubleheader, the Cougars will clinch a share of the HHC crown with a sweep of last-place Shelbyville next week.
The Cougars and Marauders will see each other again May 23 at 7:30 p.m. in the first round of sectional play at Pendleton Heights.
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Game 1
Greenfield-Central 9, Mt. Vernon 7
MV (9-8, 5-5 HHC);120;013;0;-;7;11;0
GC (14-6, 8-3 HHC);302;103;x;-;9;10;1
WP: Brady Mundell (2-0). LP: Shawn Shipley (2-1).
2B: B. Wilson, A. Hutchison (GC); H. Dobbins (MV).
HR: Bradley McDowell (GC).
Game 2
Greenfield-Central 14, Mt. Vernon 3
GC (15-6, 9-3);404;60;-;14;7;1
MV (9-9, 5-6);001;02;-;3;5;2
WP: Adam Hutchison (3-0). LP: AJ Swingle (1-1).
2B: J. Stadler (2), A. Sumner (MV); B. Wilson (GC).
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