Columbus North’s Jesse Clark runs toward home plate against Hamilton Southeastern Monday at Southside Elementary School.
Tommy Walker | For The Republic
Columbus North christened its new-look baseball field Monday night, but Hamilton Southeastern spoiled the celebration.
The Royals rallied from an early five-run deficit to hand the Bull Dogs a 9-8 defeat in the first game with a new turf infield and shorter outfield fences at Southside Elementary.
After Hamilton Southeastern got a two-run homer from Clark Bucher off North starter Franco Ortega in the top of the first, the Bull Dogs reached Royals starter AJ Eikenberry for three runs in the bottom of the first and four more in the second. Cole Stevens had an RBI-single in his first varsity plate appearance, and Jesse Clark followed with an RBI-single in the first, when the third run scored on an error.
In the second, Daiju Iwala led off with a hit in his first varsity at bat. Ike Genth and Clark had RBI-singles, and Dillon Long smacked a two-run double for a 7-2 lead.
Hamilton Southeastern scored a run in the third to cut the lead to 7-3. Long came on to pitch in the fourth and looked to be out of the inning with the bases loaded and two out and two strikes on Alex Shepherd. Long and some of the Bull Dogs were headed off the field on what they thought would be a called third strike, but after a ball was called, Shepherd lined a full-count bases-clearing double to cut it to 7-6. Trey McNanama then lifted a popup behind second base that fell between three defenders and scored Shepherd with the tying run.
The Royals then took advantage of a pair of walks off Jayden Adorno to start the fifth to score two runs and take a 9-7 lead.
Meanwhile, Hamilton Southeastern reliever Spencer Mohr allowed only one North baserunner in the third-through-sixth innings. Jack Whaley led off the seventh with a home run just to the left of the 375-foot marker in center, but Mohr was able to retire the next three batters to seal the win.
“We had four guys get the first varsity experience of their careers,” North coach Mike Bodart said. “Two of them (Stevens and Iwala) had base hits, and one of them (Cade Finke) had a putout in the outfield. We’re still young, and Hamilton Southeastern is a heck of a team and a good program. We had a lot of positives, so that was a good thing.”
The Royals outhit the Bull Dogs 10-9. Clark, who pitched a scoreless seventh, went 2 for 4 with two RBIs and Whaley went 2 for 4 to lead North at the plate.
“We hit the ball well,” Bodart said. “We know our pitchers are going to have to get it figured out, and our defense is going to be there for them, and we’re going to pick them up. We’re going to bounce back. You’re going to see it from us all year long. We’re going to play a top-10 schedule and get guys ready to go for tournament time.”
