Two baseball teams in need of a little momentum played 12 innings Monday and decided absolutely nothing.
Greenwood and visiting Indian Creek battled to a 2-2 tie when the game was called due to darkness. With the programs being in different conferences, it was determined the game will not be continued at a later date.
The Woodmen are 4-11-1, while the Braves are 3-5-1.
It was a sloppy game defensively as the teams combined for 12 errors. However, Woodmen starting pitcher Jarrett Caster and his counterpart, Indian Creek sophomore Trevor Ankney, both came through with strong performances.
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Click here to purchase photos from this galleryCaster, a senior, pitched eight innings and gave up six hits while striking out five. Ankney worked six frames, permitted three hits and fanned five himself.
Coming on with solid relief efforts were a pair of seniors — Eric Braughton for Indian Creek and Greenwood’s Brevin Shackelford.
“Overall, I thought both teams’ pitching was fantastic,” Woodmen coach Andy Bass said. “For them Ankney and Braughton, and for us Caster came out and threw the ball well. And that’s probably the best outing Brevin’s had all year.
“I was very pleased with our pitching. All in all, I think both teams probably ended up with a run that was unearned due to errors. But I told our team we have to swing the bat better.”
A Braughton hit brought home leadoff hitter Jared DeHart for the game’s first run in the top of the first inning. DeHart had led off the game with a single.
Greenwood evened the score in the bottom of the third when shortstop Damon Maynard’s single to center field brought home leadoff hitter Dylan Rosado, who earlier got on base after being hit by a pitch.
Each team plated a run in the fifth.
Maynard produced two of the three Woodmen hits, the other coming from senior second baseman Jacob Cutter. In all, Ankney and Braughton teamed to strike out 13 Greenwood batters.
DeHart finished with three singles for Indian Creek, which ended the game with eight base hits. Braughton got into the act with a pair of singles.
Nonetheless, Braves coach Eddie Willis knows his club must start hitting the ball better.
“We needed to turn that corner bad, and we’re struggling hitting the ball. Our pitching is all right. It’s our batting,” he said. “We can’t put two hits together to save our life.
“I’m totally baffled. I really am.”
Greenwood returns to the same field today when it hosts Plainfield in a Mid-State Conference game. The Woodmen then travel to face the Quakers on their home diamond on Wednesday.
Indian Creek is off until Wednesday, when it plays the first of a home-and-home at Brown County.
