The Talawanda baseball team lost to former Southwest Ohio Conference (SWOC) rival Ross 7-1 on April 20. The Brave recorded five errors during the Reds Futures High School Showcase matchup at Miami University’s McKie Field.
Errors plagued Talawanda from the opening inning when first baseman Adam Achterman couldn’t haul in a routine out. The team’s 31 errors on the season lead the SWOC. Starting pitcher Nathaniel Iden quickly ended the inning by forcing a groundout. The All-Conference pitcher allowed three hits, two earned runs, and three walks in four innings and struck out four batters.
“I don’t even talk to [Iden] on the day he pitches because he’s always in that zone,” head coach Matt Lykins said. “We’re really proud of Nate. He threw really well today.”
But the Brave’s infield struggled to rally behind Iden’s pitching. While recording only two fewer hits (five) than the Rams (seven), the Brave scored six fewer runs.
The team committed multiple errors in two-out situations with runners in scoring position, resulting in additional Ross runs. Lykins believes that was the deciding difference in the scoreboard.
“You need to make the plays that need to be made in those situations [to] get you out of there,” Lykins said. “Otherwise, you get runners on [and] they start putting pressure on.
The Rams scored first in the top of the second when the Brave dropped the ball at second base, allowing a runner on third to score. The Rams scored again with a runner on third in the top of the fourth due to a wild throw to first base.
The Rams added two more runs from sacrifice flies in the top of the fifth. Brave infielder Ryan Wright tried to bring life to the offense with an RBI single and electric baserunning in the bottom of the inning. But in the top of the seventh, the Rams blew the game open by adding two additional runs.
Moving forward, Talawanda catcher A.J. Hainline says the team needs to stay focused when defending the base paths.
“We just gotta really make sure we’re attacking them,” Hainline said. “Staying locked in and just making sure we’re doing our job, focusing on ourselves, and not working about others.”
The Brave (10-6, 7-1) will take the field next at home on April 25 at 5pm against West Clermont.
