YSE File Photo
A pair of Greenwood pitchers combined for 10 strikeouts and the Gator baseball squad continued its streak of shutout victories over University Heights Academy on Monday, as GHS downed the Blazers 9-0 in Bowling Green.
Dating back to 2003, it’s the fourth straight time the Gators have shut out Heights in a game. That string of victories has resulted in a cumulative score of 33-0.
Greenwood, which was gunning for its fourth straight Opening Day win, got superb performances on the mound from Easton Talley (six K’s) and Nathan Howard (four) en route to the six-inning decision. Talley (1-0) struck out six and allowed just one hit in 3 1/3 innings to set the tone. In relief, Howard walked the first batter he faced in the top of the fifth inning but was perfect the rest of the way to close it out.
The Gators scored at least one run in the second, third, and fourth innings, then exploded for a five-spot in the sixth — highlighted by Rylan Graves’ two-run single — to take control for good. Greenwood got RBIs from seven different players during the balanced offensive attack. Graves and leadoff hitter Zachary Davis had a team-high two each.
For Heights, which dropped a season opener for the first time since 2017, the big hits never came despite having opportunities early on. The Blazers put two runners on base on two separate occasions during the first four innings, but weren’t able to bring them around. Sophomore Jaiden Miles had UHA’s lone hit with a one-out single in the fourth, but he was eventually stranded at second.
Cadence Gibson, who reached twice in the contest, took first base to start the top of the fourth after a dropped third strike, took second on an error during a pick-off attempt and advanced to third on Miles’ aforementioned single, but was later cut down at home on a Josh Pace bunt.
The Blazers also dealt with some command issues, as a trio of pitchers combined for 10 issued walks in defeat. Jackson Flynn (0-1) allowed three walks, two hits, and three total runs during the start. Pace and Aiden Jones combined to throw the final 2 2/3 innings.
University Heights (0-1) will remain on the road March 14 with a matchup at Logan County but then begins a seven-game homestand with a March 16 pairing with Franklin-Simpson.
