Fishers High School

The Fishers Tigers Varsity Baseball Team (13-12/8-4) jumped out to an early lead and then held on to defeat Franklin Central Flashes 5-4 and complete the sweep of the HCC series. After the first 8 pitches of the game, the Tigers found themselves up 3-0 thanks to Carter Strole’s 3-run homerun to centerfield. Strole’s homerun was his 3rd of the season. Buelt leadoff the game hitting a ground rule double that bounced over the centerfield fence. Owen Lukac followed with a walk before Strole hit the first pitch he saw over the fence. The Tigers added more runs in the 3rd to extend their lead to 5-0. Lukac leadoff the inning with a hustle double into right centerfield. Strole walked to put runners at 1st and 2nd with nobody out. David Pina laid down a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt to move Lukac and Strole to 2nd and 3rd. After a strikeout gave the Flashes 2 outs, Vincent Pecoraro and Asher Nelson delivered back-to-back 2-out RBI singles for what would proved to key insurance runs. The Tigers had more opportunities to score in the 4th, 5th, and 7th, but left runners in scoring position in each of those frames without pushing across any more runs. Starting pitcher Austin Conley started the game retiring 7 of the first 8 batters he faced before giving up 3 singles in the 3rd inning to allow 2 runs that cut the Tigers lead down to 5-2. It appeared Conley had gotten out of the inning without giving up a run, but a popup with 2 outs landed in shallow right centerfield allowing 2 runs to score. The Flashes added an unearned run in the 6th inning to cut the Tigers lead down to 5-3. Grant Wolf entered the game with runners on 1st and 2nd, 1 out, and a 5-2 lead. Wolf quickly recorded a strikeout for out #2. The Flashes connected on a single to score 1 run before Wolf ended the inning with a strikeout looking and stranding runners at 2nd and 3rd. The bottom of 7th continued more late inning drama. The Flashes first 2 batters reached on a hit by pitch and a walk. With no outs, the Flashes 3rd batter in the inning singled to right centerfield to score a run and cut lead down to 5-4 with the tying run on 2nd and the winning run at 1st. The Tigers recorded the first out of the inning on a flyball to right before Wolf induced a game ending double play by Henry Cherry, Strole, and Nelson with the tying run rounding 3rd base. Conley (5-0) earned the victory on the mound pitching 5.1 innings, allowing 2 earned runs on 6 hits, while striking out 8, walking 1, and hitting 1 batter. Wolf earned his 2nd save of the season working the final 1.2 innings, allowing 1 run on 2 hits, while striking out 2, walking 1, and hitting 1 batter. Offensively, Strole delivered the big 3-run homer. Nelson led the Tigers with 3 hits, including a double and RBI. Pecoraro recorded 2 singles and an RBI. Buelt and Lukac added doubles, and Cherry added a single. The Tigers return home on Saturday to play Lawrence North at 6pm. The Tigers will be celebrating Alumni Night, as well as Craig Yoho Day when they retire Yoho’s #22 jersey.