Beau Baker allowed just one hit and pitched into the ninth inning while striking out ten batters, then delivered the winning hit in a walk-off, NE8 victory over East Noble Thursday night.
A leadoff single for EN in the second inning was erased by a strike thrown by Baker’s battery mate, Oliver Werling, who gunned down the runner and made it a 1-2-3 inning. The Knights did not get another hit the rest of the night.
Although they did not get a hit after that inning, East Noble did strike first, thanks mostly to an infield, two-base error to the leadoff hitter, which led to the Knights’ only run of the contest.
Bellmont spent much of the rest of the night chasing that run, but they finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game. Cam Friedt singled to right and his pinch runner, Layne LeMaster, stole second and took third on a wild pitch before scoring on a ground ball.
East Noble put more pressure on Baker in the top of the seventh, threatening to answer the Braves’ run, but they botched the double steal, with runners on first and third and were thrown out at the plate for the third out of the inning.
The Braves had no answers in the bottom of the seventh and the game then went to extras, where it looked like the home team would surely win the contest in the bottom of the eighth, stringing together back-to-back-to-back singles with one out, but they left the bases loaded and the game went to the ninth. The final out of the top of the ninth had to come from Kaigan Lee, who relieved Baker after he ended his night with 124 pitches.
Lee also pitched a scoreless top of the 10th, setting up Baker to drive in George Gardner, who had doubled to lead off the frame, for the winning run.
The win over East Noble was also the first NE8 victory of the year for the Braves.
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