Monarch catcher Rocco Marchetti prepares to tag out a Dublin Jerome base runner at the plate. MHS improved to 6-0 with a 3-2 victory.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
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Marysville’s varsity baseball team had to wait a week before playing its first game in Ohio.
The Monarchs won all five of their contests during their spring break trip to Florida, but inclement weather sidelined them until Friday’s 3-2 victory over Dublin Jerome on their home diamond.
The contest was originally scheduled to be played on the Celtics’ field, but wet conditions there prompted the switch to MHS.
It took a little bit of time before the local team was able to up its record to 6-0.
“This was our first live action in a week and we struggled a bit at the start of the game,” said Marysville head coach Nick Blake.
“We talked all during the off-season about having to be a tough-minded team,” he said. “This is a tough group of guys and they figured it out at the end.”
Jerome scored its initial run in the visitors’ portion of the second inning against MHS starting pitcher James Hackworth.
The Monarch southpaw notched outs against the first two Celtic batters of the frame, but then ran into some trouble.
Dublin’s Jack Karam doubled and raced to third on an errant pitch.
Elias Lockwood was issued a walk and went to second on a passed ball.
Jerome starting pitcher Michael Thiel helped himself at the plate with a base hit that drove in the run.
A walk to Ethan Price loaded the bases.
Hackworth, however, wiggled out of the jam by inducing an inning-ending fly ball.
Marysville, ranked fifth in the state Division I poll, couldn’t do much at the plate against Thiel during the first four innings.
The Monarchs stranded a trio of base runners during that time.
Jerome also had additional scoring opportunities, but left six on the sacks, including the bases loaded in the fifth.
The Monarchs were finally able to scratch across the tying run in the home half of the fifth.
With two down, Mason Springs was issued a free pass. He swiped second and advanced to third on a Celtic fielding miscue.
Tate Martino reached on an error, which allowed Springs to cross the plate and deadlock the game at 1-1.
A flyball got Thiel out of further problems.
By the time the top of the sixth rolled around, Griffin Scheiderer was ready to begin his third inning of relief work for the Monarchs.
The Celtics regained the upper hand at 2-1 after a double by Price, an error and a base hit from Lockwood.
A fly ball to the outfield, though, resulted in the third out and left two Dublin runners on base.
Jerome pulled Thiel and put the contest in the hands of left-hander Brendan McCarthy.
Jake Fisher singled to lead off the bottom of the sixth for the Monarchs.
He was, however, caught on a stolen base attempt.
Hackworth, who had moved over to play first base after being lifted from the mound, was hit by a pitch.
He was successful on his stolen base opportunity.
Tyler Kesterson then reached on another Celtic fielding miscue.
Derek Moyer singled in the run that created a 2-2 stalemate.
With MHS runners perched on first and second, McCarthy got the second out of the inning on a strikeout.
Jerome then mishandled a ball hit by Max Freeman.
The error allowed the eventual winning run to score.
A popout left two Monarchs on base at the end of the frame.
Scheiderer went out in the top of the seventh for his fourth inning on the bump.
He coaxed a high pop fly from Aiden Lowery.
Scheiderer quickly got off the mound and settled under the ball for the first out of the frame.
Karam reached base on an error, but Moyer got the second out on a diving catch in centerfield.
The Monarchs ended the contest with a bouncing ball to the infield that forced Karam at second.
“Again, we’ve talked about being tough as our top priority,” said Blake. “We have to always have that ‘next play’ mentality.
“We know we’re going to get everyone’s best shot the rest of the way.”
DJ 010 001 0-2 9 4
MHS 000 012 x-3 5 3
WP: Scheiderer
LP: McCarthy