Troy Christian’s Matthew Major reacts after hitting a game-tying two-run single against Miami East in the sixth inning Thursday night at Troy Christian.
Photos Provided By Lee Woolery
Miami East pitcher Connor Apple fires a strike to the plate Thursday against Troy Christian.
Photos Provided By Lee Woolery
Miami East catcher Layton Hughes makes a throw to first base Thursday.
Photos Provided By Lee Woolery
Troy Christian pitcher Judah Simmons makes a throw to first base on a bunt.
Photos Provided By Lee Woolery
TROY — The Miami East-Troy Christian baseball games never lack for excitement.
And Thursday was no exception at Troy Christian.
In the end, nothing was decided after the game was suspended after eight innings due to darkness with the game tied 3-3.
Miami East had jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
Keidin Pratt had singled and scored on Connor Apple’s single.
Following a single by Owen Hawk, Apple scored on a fielder’s choice by Layton Hughes.
After that, Apple and Troy Christian’s Judah Simmons settled into a pitcher’s duel.
Troy Christian had runners in scoring position in four of the five innings against Apple, but could not score.
After the first inning, Simmons did not allow another hit in his six innings of work.
The Eagles were still trailing 2-0 going to the home sixth inning.
After the first two batters were retired in the sixth inning, Rylee Huber walked, Ben Major singled and Marcus O’Neal was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Matthew Major then drilled a two-run single to tie the game.
Miami East had an opportunity to take the lead in the top of the seventh.
Hughes singled and Michael Till’s reached on an error on a sacrifice bunt, putting runners on the corner with no outs.
With the infield in, Troy Christian second baseman O’Neal handled two straight ground balls, getting the out at first on the first one as Till went to second and throwing home on the second one to get an out at the plate.
He then caught a pop-up to end the rally and keep the game tied.
East took the lead in the top of the eighth.
Pratt reached on an error, Apple singled and Hughes walked to load the bases.
Matt Osting was hit by a pitch to force in a run and make it 3-2, before Zane Harris got a strikeout to end the rally.
Troy Christian did its damage in the home eighth after two were out and the bases were empty again.
Down to its their last out, Matthew Major had a single and Camden Koukol followed with a rope to right field that went to the fence, with Major scoring to tie the game.
Luke Hammaker then got a strikeout to force a ninth inning and after a short discussion, the game was stopped due to darkness.
