Gavin Sharp of Marysville slides safely into home after a pickoff attempt by Dublin Coffman on Wednesday. Also pictured for the Monarchs is Garrett North (1). The Monarchs won, 4-1.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
The Marysville Monarchs played solid defense, notched some key hits and took advantage of another solid pitching performance by Jack Christian.
All of those factors came together Wednesday evening when MHS defeated Dublin Coffman, 4-1.
The Monarchs scored the runs they would need to win in the bottom of the sixth.
Marysville’s defense, particularly the outfield of Gavin Sharp, Kaleb Schultz and Michael Bonczak, supported Christian as he raised his season record to 3-1.
The freshman right-hander did his part in keeping the Shamrocks off the board until the top of the seventh inning.
“We made some timely defensive plays and got hits when we needed them,” said Monarch coach Mark Brunswick, whose team improved to 7-3 overall and 5-0 in the Ohio Capital Conference Central Division.
“Jack pitched another very good game,” he said.
Coffman couldn’t mount much of an offensive threat through the first four innings.
During that time, Christian allowed only two base runners, on a first-inning double by Marcus Ernst and a second-inning walk issued to James Bartman.
In the meantime, the Monarchs plated a single run in the home half of the third inning.
With one down, Tyler Drope reached base on the Shamrocks’ lone fielding miscue of the day.
He went to third on the hit-and-run when Blake Storr ripped a single.
A free pass by pitcher Canyon Caldwell to Schultz loaded the bases.
Christian was then issued a walk that brought in MHS’ first run.
Storr attempted to score after a wild pitch, but was tagged out by Caldwell, who covered the plate.
A fly ball deep to center field by Jacob Wright was snagged to end the inning.
Christian was able to wiggle out of a jam in the top of the fifth when Coffman got two runners in scoring position.
A groundball out began the inning, but Graham Schiefferle and Mike King both singled and advanced to second and third on a passed ball.
Christian notched a strikeout and coaxed a bouncing ball in the infield for the inning-ending out.
The Monarch pitcher surrendered a one-out single to Ernst in the top of the sixth.
Alex Werth, however, lined into a 6-3 double play to end the threat.
Caldwell kept Marysville (which will host Pleasant today) off the scoreboard for a couple of innings and the Monarchs went into the home half of the sixth knowing they would need more than one run to win.
Caldwell put a strikeout in the book, but gave up a single to Wright.
Owen Meffley subbed for Wright on the base paths and raced all the way home when Sharp blistered the ball for a double.
Sharp went to third on the throw from the outfield.
He then scored on an errant pickoff attempt.
Garrett North followed with a wind-aided solo homer to left field that not only gave Marysville a 4-0 lead, but also chased Caldwell from the mound.
Lefty reliever George Kranstuber was summoned from the bullpen. He induced a groundball out and notched a strikeout to end the inning.
The Shamrocks were down to their last three outs as action moved into the top of the seventh.
Caldwell and Bartman respectively got on board after an error and base hit.
Christian put his fourth punchout in the book before a single by King drove in Coffman’s lone run.
A popout to the infield and a flyball to Schultz in center field ended the game.
Brunswick was pleased after the contest.
“This was a good win,” he said. “It’s always good when you can beat Coach (Tim) Saunders and the class program he runs.
“I thought the guys did a good job of adjusting to how the game was going,” said Brunswick. “They stayed up the entire game and played seven innings.”
DC 000 000 1-1 6 1
MHS 001 003 x-4 6 1
WP-Christian
LP-Caldwell