DANE FUELLING
WZBD.com
HOAGLAND – The Heritage Patriots clinched a conference title with a shutout victory over the Bluffton Tigers at home Tuesday night, moving to 5-0 with one game left in the conference against last-place Jay County Thursday.Â
Noah Redmon was fantastic on the mound, striking out 12 and allowing just four hits. He walked just two batters as the Heritage infield played flawlessly behind him, going without an error the entire night.Â
The Patriots scored in the bottom of the first when Redmon drove in Andrew Mirelez, who had reached on an infield error to lead off the inning.Â
After Braxton Betancourt cut down two Heritage batters with Ks to start the second, catcher Mason Abbott singled to left and was replaced by a courtesy runner, but he was gunned down by Brody Lewis to end the inning.Â
Redmon struck out the side in the third and then singled in the bottom of the inning after Caleb Abbott drove in the second Heritage run, but Lewis again picked off a courtesy runner to end the inning.
The key to the victory, though, was the Heritage fourth inning. Doubles by Dalton White and Cameron Rauner put the team up 5-0 and it was all Redmon needed home to clinch at least a share of the ACAC.Â
Bluffton did mount somewhat of a rally in the top of the seventh, with Betancourt and Drew Pressler picking up singles to lead off the inning. Redmon reached back and got the next three batters out, with two by strikeout, setting the Patriots up for a sweep of the conference if they can win against Jay Thursday.