Flyers score 8 unanswered runs to topple Titans in SOC finale

IRONTON — After falling behind 3-0, the Saint Joseph Flyers rolled off eight unanswered runs to beat the Notre Dame Titans 8-3 to close out Southern Ohio Conference play on Thursday evening.

"Our guys responded tremendously after going down 3-0," said Flyers coach Nick Medinger. "Evan (Aldridge) survived that first inning and gave us a great 6 innings to close it out."

The Flyers improved their record to 11-6 on the season and finished 4-4 in SOC play. The Titans fell to 11-10 and finished 3-5 in the league.

Saint Joseph collected 9 hits for the game with Beckham Waginger going 2-of-4 with two RBI, Evan Aldridge going 2-3 with a double and an RBI, Mason Weber went 2-3, Carson Willis had a hit with an RBI, Carson Lyons had a triple, and Blake Medinger had a double.

Aldridge picked up the win in a complete game effort. The senior surrendered 8 hits, 3 earned runs, struck out 7 batters and walked two.

The Titans finished with 8 hits, led by Luke Cassidy who went 3-4 with a double, Connor Estep went 2-4 with two RBI, Ethan Kingery had a hit and two RBI, and Warren Kelly and Luke Hamilton each had a hit.

Cassidy took the loss for the Titans giving up six hits, four earned runs and striking out two batters in just three innings.

The Titans jumped out to an early 3-0 lead behind three hits. Cassidy ripped a liner into right that got through the outfielder and put Cassidy on third. Bryce McGraw drew a walk and Estep followed with a grounder that went into left to score a run.

Kingery lined a ball back up the middle on a 2-2 pitch to drive in a pair of runs to make it a 3-run advantage for Notre Dame.

In the bottom of the first, the Flyers got two of those runs back on a two-out rally.

After Beckham Waginger reached on a fielder's choice, Carson Lyons lined a shot over the left fielder's head for an RBI-triple. Then four pitches later, Aldridge doubled into deep center to score Lyons and cut the deficit to 3-2.

"We were in a similar situation against Wellston. We got behind in the first inning and the energy was sucked out of us. This time we got some hits and our kids got their confidence back quickly," said Medinger.

Notre Dame threatened to add to their lead in the second, but a flyout to center and a strikeout from Aldridge stranded two Titans on the base path and got the Flyers out of the jam.

In the bottom of the frame, the Flyers took the lead for good.

Medinger led off with a hit that stayed inside the third base line for a double and later scored from third on a passed ball to tie the game. Weber singled to reach base and then proceeded to steal both second and third. An errant throw to third allowed Weber to score and make it 4-3.

Saint Joseph would add a pair of insurance runs in the fourth when Waginger lined a base hit into right two score Willis and Medinger.

Two more runs were added when Willis singled in a run in the fifth and Weber scored on a passed ball in the sixth.

Aldridge and the defense put the clamps down on the final four innings, as the senior pitcher retired 12 of the last 14 batters he faced. Four of those outs were strikeouts.

Notre Dame 300  000  0  =  3  8  2

St. Joseph 220  211  x  =  8  9  1

Luke Cassidy, Carter Ingles (4), Warren Kelly (6) and Connor Estep. Evan Aldridge and Beckham Waginger. W-Aldridge (IP-7.0, H-8, R-3, ER-3, K-7, BB-2). L-Cassidy (IP-3.0, H-6, R-4, ER-4, K-2, BB-0, HBP-1). Ingles (IP-2.0, H-3, R-3, ER-3, K-4, BB-3, WP-1). Kelly (IP-1.0, H-0, R-1, ER-0, K-1, BB-1). Hitting–Notre Dame: Luke Cassidy 3-4 2B, Connor Estep 2-4 RBI, Ethan Kingery 1-3 2-RBI, Warren Kelly 1-2, Luke Hamilton 1-3; St. Joseph: Mason Weber 2-3, Beckham Waginger 2-4 2-RBI, Carson Lyons 1-4 3B, Evan Aldridge 2-3 2B RBI, Carson Willis 1-2 RBI, Blake Medinger 1-2 2B.