Loveland (3-2, 8-3) is now #7 in Division I in the Enquirer Coaches Poll and will play at Turpin today at 4:30 PM and then Monday at home against Withrow. You can see all the stats HERE at ECC Sports.
by Dan Timmerman,
Game 6– Monday to Tuesday, April 6-7 vs. Walnut Hills HS at Dave Evans Field, Loveland
The Loveland Tigers defeated the Walnut Hills Eagles 5-1 in their first ECC game of the 2015 season. The teams struggled with the rainy weather as much as they did with each other with 3 rain delays over 2 innings on Monday, the last of which pushing the contest to Tuesday, where it was concluded as a rain shortened complete game after 5-1/3 innings. Monday saw Walnut Hills pitcher Cole Murphy (UC commit) with an early 1-0 lead and striking out all 6 of the Tigers batters he had faced.
When play resumed the next day Murphy was gone and the Tigers tied the game in the 3rd when Cade Woolston reached first base on a dropped 3rd strike and came all the way around to score on a double by Luke Waddell. In the 4th the Tigers took the lead when Chris Sackett reached on an error and then scored on another error during a rundown after being advanced past third base, but not quite to home plate, on a clutch 2 out double to right by Adam Beran.
In the 5th inning the scoring concluded, as did the game a third of an inning later with the return of the rain. Cal Conley reached base on an error followed by walks to Waddell and Jay Wilson. Colton Lakes then fought off a tough pitch muscling it into short right field scoring Conley and Waddell. After Sackett walked Beran followed with another base hit bringing in Wilson.
Drew Steinbrenner (W, 2-0) picked up his 2nd straight win pitching all of the 3-1/3 innings on Wednesday limiting the Eagles to no runs and only 1hit while striking out 6.
WP: Steinbrunner (2-0, 6 K’s). Hitting: Beran 2-3, 2B, RBI; Lakes 1-3, 2 RBI; Waddell 1-2, 2B, RBI.
Game 7– Saturday April 11 vs. Badin HS at Alumni Field, Hamilton
The Loveland Tigers suffered their first loss of the season in a non-league game on the road against Badin, 3-2.
Badin scored a run in the first on a couple of walks and a throwing error in the 1st inning to take a 1-0 lead. Loveland took the lead in the top of the 3rd on walks to Cal Conley and Luke Waddell followed by a double steal by those two. Conley them scored on a wild pitch to tie the score and Josh Meszaros knocked in Waddell with a double to take a 2-1 lead.
The score remained tied until the 6th when Badin scored the decisive run on a walk and 2 singles, with the lead runner scoring, for a 3-2 lead and win.
Loveland’s record goes to 6-1 (1-0 ECC).
Hitting: Meszaros 2-4, 2B, RBI; Conley 1-1, 2 BB, R; Waddell 2 BB, R.
Game 8 – Monday April 13 vs. Milford HS at Dave Evans Field, Loveland
The Loveland Tigers suffered their second consecutive loss of the season Monday and their first conference loss at the hands of the Loveland Eagles, 6-1.
Milford scored 3 runs in the 2nd inning beginning with a homerun by Brad Hall to straightaway center. A walk followed with that runner later advancing to third. A fielder’s choice on a high chopper in the infield scored the runner and had the batter safe at first. A double scored the 3rd run of the inning for the Eagles. In the 4th Milford added another run on a double, with the runner later advancing to third, and a sacrifice fly. In the 5th the Eagles completed their scoring with a triple, double and single to take a 6-0 lead.
The Tigers mounted a rally in the 6th loading the bases on a double by Luke Waddell, a single by Cal Conley and a walk to Jay Wilson. Unfortunately a lighting alert delayed the game for 45 minutes slowing the Tiger’s momentum and when play resumed a sacrifice fly plating Waddell was the only run the rally would yield.
Loveland’s record goes to 1-1 in the ECC, 6-2 overall.
Hitting: Waddell 2-4, 2B, R; Lakes RBI
