HOPE — For most of Saturday afternoon’s baseball home opener, Hauser didn’t have much trouble retiring the first two Bishop Chatard batters.
Getting the third out in a few innings was another matter.
The Jets gave up 10 runs after two were out, and that played a major factor in the Trojans’ 13-1, five-inning victory.
“I felt like we gave up too many free passes,” Hauser coach Nate Long said. “You add a free pass in with this lineup, and the next thing you know, a guy doubles or hits a hard single and those runs add up that way.”
Chatard scored three runs before the first out was recorded in the top of the first. But then all five of the Trojans’ runs in the second, both of their runs in the third and fourth and their single run in the fifth came either on the second out or after two already were out.
The Jets (0-2) scored their run in the fourth. Starting pitcher Eli Miller led off with a single, and Owen McIntyre, who had relieved him, walked and both runners moved up on a passed ball. Miller then scored on a groundout by Nathan Worland.
Hauser’s only other hit came on a one-out single in the fifth by Grant Louden.
“I feel like our at bats were better today,” Long said. “The results weren’t necessarily there. They had three good pitchers that we saw, and it’s good experience, so hopefully guys can take away from that and move forward.”
Miller and McIntyre combined on a seven-hitter, but combined to walk 11.
“There’s always improvements,” Long said. “I think that as a group, we have to get better at competing in all aspects of the game, and once we do that, a lot of good things will happen.”
After opening against Class 4A Shelbyville and 3A Chatard, the Jets will begin Mid-Hoosier Conference play with games against Edinburgh on Thursday at Edinburgh and Friday at home.
“We make our schedule out to compete against all levels,” Long said. “I think it’s good for our kids. It’s only going to help them when we do play 1A baseball at the end of the year. But I feel like in general, we need to compete better, and that’s what we’re going to focus on this next week.”
