The Delaware Hayes baseball team made up some ground during the resumption of a game that started Friday afternoon, but couldn’t catch visiting Big Walnut, which put the finishing touches on a 13-8 OCC win Tuesday in Delaware.
In the regularly-scheduled matchup that followed, Bryden Decaminada and Nathan Graham combined on a two-hit shutout as the Pacers salvaged the split with a convincing 10-0, six-inning win.
In the opener, the Golden Eagles plated six runs in the first inning and led 9-3 when the game was initially suspended due to darkness in the fifth inning.
After getting two runners on without the benefit of a hit — a walk and a hit batsman — Lorne Anderson slashed an RBI single to right field to open the scoring summary. Already up 4-0, Landon Duhl singled to left to drive in two more and make it a 6-0 game heading into the bottom of the first.
The Pacers didn’t take long to answer. Dalton Allen doubled home Decaminada and Austin Dowell to slice to deficit to 6-2 and, one batter later, Turner Ashby scored on a fielder’s choice.
When things resumed Tuesday, BW added on, scoring on an error and fielder’s choice to balloon its edge to 11-3.
Hayes used a five-run bottom half of the fifth to get back into things, but the rally ran out of gas.
Brennan Green had an RBI single and Bryan Skedell drew a bases-loaded walk as the Pacers crept within three, 11-8, by the end of five.
That’s as close as things would get, though, as the Eagles played add-on in the sixth and seventh en route the league win.
Cam Gladden sparked BW with a three-hit game. He also scored two runs and knocked in two more. Other standouts included Anderson, who finished 2-for-2 with three RBI and two runs scored; and Owen Unterbrink, who had two RBI and scored twice.
Gannon had three RBI to lead Hayes.
The Pacers got even in the second game, salvaging the split with the shutout win that wrapped up in less than half the time of the opener.
Decaminada did most of the work on the mound, allowing just two hits while striking out eight and walking three in 5.1 innings of action.
The offense, meanwhile, scored eight of its 10 runs in the fourth inning alone thanks in part to a grand slam off the bat of Green.
Green finished 2-for-3 with four RBI and two runs scored. Skedell also had two hits and a couple RBI in the win.
Also: Hilliard Darby 2, Olentangy Berlin 0; Olentangy 4, Watterson 3; Olentangy Orange 9, Dublin Coffman 3.
SOFTBALL
Delaware Hayes used a six-run fourth to take control en route to a solid 7-5 non-league win over visiting Dublin Coffman Tuesday night in Delaware.
Down 1-0 heading into the big fourth, Olivia Nelson turned the tables in a hurry courtesy of a three-run homer. Hope Clark collected an RBI single a few batters later and Myaih Cloud doubled to score Addison Holt and Maddie Kiss to push the Pacers’ lead to 6-1.
The Shamrocks made it a game with a three-run fifth, but the Pacers added a key insurance run in the sixth.
Nelson led Hayes at the dish, finishing 2-for-3 with the homer, three RBI and run scored. Cloud was also steady, finishing 2-for-2 with two RBI.
Taylor Covington, Marti Henkel and Maya Miles each had two hits for Coffman.
Bronwynn Leighty picked up the complete-game win in the circle, allowing five runs on nine hits while striking out nine and walking four.
Buckeye Valley 14, Central Crossing 0, 5 inn.
Liz Hamilton and Megan Beneke combined for a two-hit shutout and Lilly Irvine hit two homers and drove in six to lead the Barons to a lopsided non-league win over the host Comets Tuesday in Grove City.
Irvine, who had two homers and two doubles, finished 4-for-4 with six RBI and two runs scored. Other standouts included Courtney Beneke, who had two hits, two runs and an RBI; and Nina Peak, who had a pair of hits to go with a run and an RBI.
Hamilton was lights out in the circle, allowing just two hits while striking out 11 and walking one en route to the win.
GIRLS LACROSSE
Madison Bricker poured in five goals and Kasey Wells and Kaitlin Klabus added four apiece as Delaware Hayes cruised to a 19-1 win over Westerville North Tuesday night.
The Pacers, who also got a team-high three assists from Evelyn English, led 13-0 at halftime.
Anna Fenton and Ellionna Craft split time in the Hayes crease, combining for three saves.
Also: Olentangy Orange 19, Hilliard Bradley 9; Olentangy 14, Dublin Jerome 10.
BOYS TENNIS
Olentangy 5, Olentangy Berlin 0; Worthington Kilbourne 3, Delaware Hayes 2.
BOYS LACROSSE
Olentangy Berlin 9, Hilliard Darby 5.
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
New Albany 3, Delaware Hayes 1.
