GREENWOOD — Class 4A No. 3 Center Grove is fast developing a reputation as a two-out ball club.
As Thursday’s game against visiting Columbus North reiterated, once an opposing defense gets two outs on the Trojans, recording that all-so-important third becomes increasingly difficult.
Center Grove padded its two-out standing by scoring four runs in the bottom of the first inning in a 15-2 victory over the Bull Dogs. The game went only five innings due to the 10-run rule.
Four Trojan players sent baseballs over the fence in the opening two frames alone — Owen Guilfoy, Grant Sawa, Garrison Barile and Evan Zapp. Center Grove cruised to a 12-0 advantage off the Bull Dogs’ starting pitcher, senior left-hander Will Baker.
It proved to be something of a contrast to what Trojans coach Keith Hatfield was noticing prior to the opening pitch.
“I wasn’t mad about our energy before the game, but I wasn’t thrilled with it,” Hatfield said. “A lot of indoor practices. Bad weather. Cold weather. It’s hard to get in a rhythm, and I thought our energy during batting practice today was just not where it should have been.
Center Grove (7-0-1) finished with 10 hits, more than enough support for junior pitcher Ben Murphy. The righthander allowed North six hits while issuing no walks and striking out eight.
The Trojans led 15-0 before the Bull Dogs generated a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning. Senior third baseman Dyllan Redmon led off with a double, advanced to third base on an error and trotted home the instant teammate Zach McLean, a sophomore first baseman, crushed a no-doubt home run to left-center field.
From that point, Murphy fanned four of the final six hitters he faced.
North coach Patrick Antone looks for his squad to bounce back despite the disappointing outcome.
“Against any good team, it’s going to come down to whoever makes the least amount of mistakes,” Antone said. “This is just an opportunity to learn. We talk about it all the time. How are you going to respond? Are you going to learn from it, or are you going to crumble? Let this one sink in and get back to work so that it never happens again.”
