Brock Netter, Staff Writer
Southern Ohio Sports Authority is presented by OhioHealth.
CHILLICOTHE — There will be no Gold Ball in the SVC baseball race. Huntington made sure of it on Tuesday.
CREDIT: Cory Hall/SOSA
Behind a pitching gem from Andrew Oyer, timely hitting and efficient base-running, the Huntsmen avenged an earlier season loss to upend Unioto by a 4-3 final — handing the Shermans their first league loss this spring.
“We did what we needed to do at the moments we needed to do them, and this is a great win for the guys,” Huntington coach Ed Yates said. “There’s definitely some little things that we have to continue improving on and working at as the season starts to come to a close. But the guys did a great job of putting the ball in play and playing within themselves in the biggest moments.”
You wouldn’t have known Oyer was a freshman by the way he showed command and a high level of control. Things like that aren’t often seen from someone with just a handful of varsity starts.
However, the moment wasn’t too big for him as he tossed all seven innings for a win, allowing seven hits and just two earned runs in the process.
“Andrew did such an awesome job of keeping Unioto off-balance while additionally keeping his pitches low, and that’s the key against a really good hitting team like they are,” Yates said. “He made them hit his pitch instead of it being belt to belly button high, and the ball going in the trees. His level of composure is a great quality to have and one that’s incredibly hard to teach. The biggest thing is that he just threw the ball and didn’t try to strike out a bunch of guys. He trusted his defense and they made plays behind him.”
Following two scoreless innings to open the game, Unioto struck first in the top of the third when Landyn Patterson registered a sacrifice fly, scoring Micah Geise for a 1-0 lead.
The Huntsmen responded in the bottom half, though.
With runners on first and third, they executed a double steal. Although Corbin Long was thrown out at second, it opened the door for Ryan Porter to score off the throw, tying the game at 1-1.
After a scoreless fourth inning and top of the fifth, Huntington made its move through endless hustle.
With runners on, Unioto attempted to turn a double play, but Huntington’s D.J. Crocker beat the throw to first and Porter scored, putting the TWP ahead. Crocker later scored on a wild pitch, pushing the lead to 3-1.
Though momentum was with Huntington momentarily, the Shermans rallied right back in the top of the sixth. With two runners on, Andrew Lemaster notched an RBI groundout, and on the same sequence, Huntington committed a throwing error that scored Isaiah Leeth to tie the game at 3-3.
“I liked our aggression on the play, but you have to understand the game situation as well and know what’s going on,” Yates said. “There’s a risk that comes with it and we have to keep the ball in front of us at all times. Otherwise, plays like that happen where the ball gets away and we give up a run.”
Despite the setback, there was no panic inside Huntington’s dugout. Just words of wisdom from Yates.
“I simply told them that it’s a tie game and all we have to do is go win it because it was ours to win,” Yates said. “Sometimes when situations like that happen, it brings a sense of dejection and you overwhelm yourself and it’s hard to rally. I had to turn that thought process around and reiterate that it’s still a 3-3 game.”
With a runner on second following a leadoff walk and a sacrifice bunt from Caiden Stewart, Isaiah Schmidt stepped to the plate and laced the go-ahead RBI single down the left field line, putting Huntington ahead 4-3 before Oyer slammed the door shut in the seventh to knock off the Shermans.
“Our starting left fielder went down with an injury against Westfall the previous night. I didn’t have a hit heading into that last at-bat. So I told myself that I was doing this for him,” Schmidt said. “[Unioto pitcher] Maverick [Frump] left that hanging slider and I just put it down the line.”
In addition to Oyer’s performance on the hill, Schmidt finished 1-for-3 with an RBI, while Crocker was 0-for-2 with an RBI.
For Unioto, Lemaster and Patterson each finished with an RBI.
After the Shermans bounced back with a win over Piketon on Wednesday, they’ll get back to action on Monday with a trip to Zane Trace. Meanwhile, after wins over Adena and Rock Hill, the Huntsmen will look for their seventh straight win the same evening, going to Paint Valley.
SPONSORED BY PICKAWAY-ROSS CTC
