HAMILTON — Four pitchers helped pave the way, Kade Bowling’s two RBI triple powered a four-run second inning and the Badin High School baseball team held off a late Oak Hills surge to capture a 4-3 season-opening victory at Alumni Field.
“It’s just a beautiful day out,” Rams coach Brion Treadway said. “There was a lot of energy that we had to start the season, and we did it in front of a big crowd. All of that was good. I think we captured the momentum early — getting guys on and moving the baseball.”
The game was supposed to played on Saturday, but rain pushed it a day later.
“It was great to finally get out here today,” Badin senior shortstop Lucas Moore said before grinning. “Badin baseball is back.”
Moore walked with the bases loaded to bring freshman Chandler Taylor across the plate, which handed the Rams a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Senior Caleb Jackson scored on a passed ball to make it 2-0, leaving runners on second and third.
That’s when Bowling roped a triple to right field, scoring sophomore Chase Luebbe and Moore.
“We stayed locked in,” said Bowling, a sophomore. “We didn’t let any small things get by us. We always stayed in the game. That helped us pull one out that shouldn’t have been as close as it was.”
Austin Adamson went 2-for-3 at the plate and scored two runs for Oak Hills, which added a run in the fourth and one in the sixth.
Badin reliever Aiden Van De Hatert recorded the final three outs of the game to earn the save, as the Highlanders only got one run across the plate during a bases-loaded threat.
Senior Nik Copenhaver got the win on the mound for Badin (1-0), striking out four batters in 3 innings of work. Rams hurlers Tyler Verdin and Grant Wissman also came in on relief.
Badin returns to action on Tuesday against Talawanda at Alumni Field.
Baseball
Bemis tosses two hitter for Monroe
CINCINNATI — Alex Bemis tossed a two-hitter and struck out 12 batters as Monroe defeated Roger Bacon 7-3 on Sunday.
The Hornets (1-0) reeled off a six-run third inning to help propel the visitors.
Evan Braun and Tyler Gannon each had two hits for Monroe, while Bemis, Aiden Sargent and Joe Tarin also notched hits.
The Hornets face the Cincinnati Trailblazers on Tuesday at 5 p.m. at the Blue Ash Sports Center.
Talawanda takes Fenwick in eight-inning affair
MIDDLETOWN — The Talawanda High School baseball team opened the season up with a 5-4 eight-inning victory over Fenwick on Saturday at Smith Park.
Noah Prewitt scored the eventual game winning run in the top of the eighth before the Brave held the Falcons with the bases loaded in the bottom half to secure the win.
Prewitt had two hits and two RBI, while Eddie Tanner added two hits and an RBI for the Brave (1-0). Talawanda’s Derek Hacker got the win on the mound, striking out four.
Tristan Bezold (4-for-5, RBI), Abram Grandstaff (2-for-4, run), Lake Von Bargen (two hits) and Joey Maier (hit, RBI) contributed at the plate for Fenwick (0-1).
Softball
Badin shows fight in season-opening loss to Seton
HAMILTON — Greg Stitzel wasn’t entirely disappointed with the Badin High School softball team’s season opener Sunday afternoon.
The Rams put up a fight during the last few innings of a 7-3 loss to Seton at Mueller Stadium in Joyce Park.
“The first thing I told them after the game was that they fought,” said Stitzel, who began his 20th year at the Badin helm. “They showed some life. They didn’t let that 7-1 annoy them. There was some good things by them doing that.”
After four scoreless innings in a game that was pushed from Saturday due to weather, the Rams (0-1) got on the board in the bottom of the fifth when senior Rachel Nusky beat out an infield single that scored freshman Miley Zorb — who reached on a hit by pitch.
Seton put together a four-run sixth inning to go up 4-1. The Saints (1-0) collected three hits in the inning. Seton later expanded the lead with a three-run seventh to make it 7-1.
But Badin didn’t fold as the Rams rounded up two runs in the bottom half of the seventh. Nusky had an RBI single that scored Couch, who walked. Then sophomore Erica Kuhnash knocked in freshman Kira Metlock with a single to right before Seton closed it out.
“I felt like we played some fairly good defense other than a couple bad throws,” said Stitzel, noting that he expects his youthful Rams to bounce back. “All I can think about with this team is that they’re going to continue to get better.”
Nusky (2-for-3, two stolen bases, RBI) led Badin’s offense, while Kunash, junior Halle Klaiber, senior Erin Beeber and senior Allison Vess each collected a hit for the Rams.
Senior Hannah Bier went 3 for 3 for the Saints, while sophomore Grace Glaser got the win in the circle and added a hit at the plate. Klaiber, who hurled for Badin, took the loss.
Talawanda splits a pair with Arcanum
OXFORD — The Talawanda High School softball team defeated Arcanum 9-4 in the first game of a doubleheader before falling 14-10 in the second on Saturday.
In the opener, Brave senior Halee McDade went 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored. Keylee Goerss, Lilly Iden and McKenna Weekley had multi-hit games for Talawanda (1-1). Weekley notched the victory in the pitcher’s circle, striking out eight batters.
Kylie Cobb (2-for-3), Iden (2-for-4, three runs, RBI), McDade (2-for-3, three RBI) and Weekley (3-for-4, two RBI, two runs) paced the Brave in the nightcap.
Franklin sweeps doubleheader from Wayne
HUBER HEIGHTS — Franklin’s softball team took two games from Wayne in a season-opening doubleheader sweep on Saturday.
Nine different players scored in the first contest for the Wildcats, who won 13-1. Sarah Brooks, Kylie Day, Megan Deaton and Shelby Lamb each had multi-hit performances for Franklin. Wildcats junior Susan Gray struck out seven in the opener.
Franklin sophomore pitcher Tatum Riddiough struck out seven and got the win in Game 2, and the Wildcats downed the Warriors 11-1.
Tori Winstead paced Franklin (2-0) with two hits, two RBI and two runs scored. Brooks collected a hit, two RBI and two runs.
