For the third consecutive game, Columbus North pitching flirted with a no-hitter Tuesday.
But for the third time in those three games, the Bull Dogs settled for a five-inning one-hitter. This time, it was sophomore Luke Harmon who did the trick in the Class 4A No. 1 Bull Dogs’ 10-0, five-inning win against Franklin Central.
“A lot of it was our defense behind me,” Harmon said. “I threw a lot of ground balls, and they made the routine plays.”
North (12-0-1) got a one-hitter from Will Baker in Thursday’s 11-1 win against Shelbyville. Zach Wager and Kyler McIntosh combined on a one-hitter in Friday’s 11-0 win against Terre Haute North.
On Tuesday, Harmon fired his second shutout of the season.
“It gives me confidence in myself, and my team has confidence in me,” Harmon said. “It reflects on the mound when I throw well.”
The only hit Harmon allowed was a fourth-inning single to left-center by Cyrus Robinson.
“Without this wind, that ball was probably caught,” North coach Ben McDaniel said. “But (Harmon) did a fantastic job tonight. He continues to have confidence in himself. He continues to trust the defense behind him and realize that he doesn’t have to do it all when he settles in on the bump. This was his fourth start, and he continues to get better each time out.”
The Bull Dogs gave Harmon all the run support he would need with three runs on only one hit and two Flashes errors in the first. North added two more runs in the second, one coming on an RBI-single by Austin Bode.
In the third, the Bull Dogs plated another unearned run. They put it away with a four-run fifth when they took advantage of two more Franklin Central errors.
“We get a lot of freebies, and usually, we take advantage of those,” Harmon said. “Once we get a baserunner on, we usually get second, third and home on bunts and base hits.”
North capitalized on six Flashes errors and stole six bases.
“We were aggressive on the bases tonight, and the guys did a good job timing up the pitcher and catcher, and the aggressiveness paid off for us,” McDaniel said.
Blake Huffman went 2 for 2, and Bode had two RBIs for the Bull Dogs, who managed six hits. Harmon helped himself by going 2 for 3 at the plate.
“I’m glad the team has my back when I get on base and can hit me in,” Harmon said.
