HOPE — The Hauser baseball team played aggressively in the finale of a two-game series against Edinburgh on Saturday.
The Jets picked up four runs in the first inning and sealed the game with nine runs in the fourth to put away the Lancers 14-1 in five innings in a Mid-Hoosier Conference contest.
In the second game of a doubleheader that Hauser played, the hits were hard to come by, but the Jets did take advantage of some miscues in the field by Trinity Lutheran to win 2-1.
Hauser has now won four games in a row to move to 5-1.
The Jets and the Cougars were supposed to be playing a doubleheader Saturday, but with Thursday’s Edinburgh-Hauser game being postponed, it was played Saturday. Thus, the Jets and Cougars played just one game.
Against Edinburgh, Hauser’s opportunities came quick. In the first inning, a walk and a hit-by-pitch put two runners on base, but a throwing error by the Lancers (2-3, 0-2) scored a run. After the Jets scored another run to lead 2-0, Sean Miller and Sam Meek each hit RBI-singles to extend the lead to 4-0.
Edinburgh responded back when Zach Murphy doubled and then later scored on a Parker Bryant RBI groundout to make it 4-1.
“We got off to a slow start again and that has been our kryptonite these first few weeks,” Edinburgh coach Jason Burton said. “Hauser is a good team, and they will capitalize on our mistakes. We still have some strides to make if we want to get where we want to be.”
That would be all the offense the Lancers showed. Hauser put away the game in the fourth inning with a hit parade, with 14 batters coming to the plate.
Jon Hatton led the charge for the Jets with a double. Once the bases were loaded on a walk and hit-by-pitch, Cameron Hartog drove in two runs with a single. Then, Evan Shaw drove in a run with a double, and Parker Eickbush drove in two runs with a single. Brandon Holt added an RBI, as well, to complete the nine-run inning.
“We got some hits together, and it got us going,” Hauser coach Nathan Long said. “As soon as we hit some balls hard, I thought that helped us. Once our kids see that, they build off of that.”
In the second game, Trinity had the lead. However, the Jets were able to string together three hits and two runs, and took advantage of three errors by the Cougars.
Hartog almost had the shutout in for Hauser, striking out five and allowing only five hits.
“My spots were there, but I had a few wild pitches,” Hartog said. “I have great defense, so if they get a ball in play, I know they’re there to make the play for me.”
Trinity outhit the Jets 5-4, but it was more about the miscues in the field.
“We kind of gave it away there, and we had miscues at inopportune times and they capitalized on it,” Trinity coach Matt VonDielingen said. “We hit the ball really well, but a lot of times, we hit it right at people.”
