Bobcats get solid defense, clutch hitting to down Flyers for SOC 3-Peat

FRANKLIN FURNACE — Three-peat.

With a 7-2 win over the St. Joseph Flyers on Monday, the Green Bobcats wrapped up their third straight Southern Ohio Conference-1 championship.

Bobcats’ coach Dave Shoupe said this title may have been the most satisfying.

“The kids did a great job all year. The league was really tough. The teams were all very solid and pretty even,” said Shoupe.

“We got good pitching from Jon, we got some clutch hits and took advantage of our opportunities and we played good defense.”

Knapp gave up just 4 hits, one earned runs with 10 strikeouts and 2 walks. He threw 57 strikes among just 89 pitches.

Carson Lyons went 5 innings and got the loss for the Flyers. He gave up just 5 hits, struck out 5, walked 7 with 5 earned runs. Beckam Waginger went the final inning and struck out two and walked one.

After a scoreless first inning, the Flyers (10-5, 3-4) got a run in the top of the second.

Mason Weber led off with a single, went to third base on a ground out and scored when Blake Medinger reached on a two-out error.

The Bobcats (17-2, 7-1) answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning to take the lead for good.

Brennan Renison and Conner Blanton walked to start the inning and Kase McIntyre put down a sacrifice bunt to put runners on second and third. Riddick Jenkins followed with a two-run single.

Green made it 3-1 in the third when Knapp walked, went to second and third on passed balls, and scored on Noah McMackin’s sacrifice fly.

St. Joseph cut the deficit to 3-2 in the top of the fourth when Weber walked, went to third on two balks, and Braydon Neal hit a sacrifice fly.

Green got the run back in the bottom of the inning when McIntyre was hit with a pitch with two outs, went to third on a hit by Jenkins, and scored on an error.

The Bobcats added 3 insurance runs in the fifth inning.

Gabe Blevins led off with a double, stole third, and after McMackin walked, Uriah Satterfield reached on a fielder’s choice with Blevins out at home. Renison and Blanton then walked and runners scored a couple of passed balls and a balk.

Blevins finished 3-4 with a double and Riddick Jenkins was 2-4 with an RBI.

Weber was 2-2 for the Flyers with Lyons 1-3 and Barrett Waginger 1-4.

St. Joseph 010  100  0  =  2  4  2

Green 021  130  x  =  7  5  1

Carson Willis, Beckett Waginger (6) and Beckett Waginger, Evan Aldridge. Jon Knapp and Noah McMackin. W-Knapp (IP-7.0, H-4, R-2, ER-1, K-10, BB-2). L-Willis (IP-5.0, H-5, R-7, ER-5, K-5, BB-7). Be. Waginger (IP-1.0, H-0, R-0, ER-0, K-2, BB-1). Hitting–St. Joseph: Jason Barrett 1-4, Carson Lyons 1-3, Mason Weber 2-2, Braydon Neal RBI; Green: Riddick Jenkins 2-3 2-RBI, Gabe Blevins 3-4 2B, Noah McMackin RBI.