{"id":16299,"date":"2024-05-16T05:37:47","date_gmt":"2024-05-16T09:37:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wzbd.com\/?p=16299"},"modified":"2024-05-16T16:12:58","modified_gmt":"2024-05-16T20:12:58","slug":"homestead-wins-quick-2-1-ballgame-against-jets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wzbd.com\/index.php\/2024\/05\/16\/homestead-wins-quick-2-1-ballgame-against-jets\/","title":{"rendered":"Homestead wins quick, 2-1 ballgame against Jets"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>RANDY HISNER<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>WZBD.com<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When pitchers throw strikes and fielders make plays, baseball games don\u2019t take very long, and that\u2019s what happened Wednesday as the visiting Homestead Spartans edged the Adams Central Flying Jets, 2-1, in just an hour and twenty minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/wzbd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/FosterHomestead.mp3\"><\/audio><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Adams Central head coach Josh Foster spoke with the Z-Team after a tough 2-1 loss at home to Homestead. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vanwertcinemas.com\/\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"233\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wzbd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/May-16th.jpg?resize=640%2C233&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-16348\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wzbd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/May-16th.jpg?resize=1024%2C373&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wzbd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/May-16th.jpg?resize=300%2C109&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wzbd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/May-16th.jpg?resize=768%2C280&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wzbd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/May-16th.jpg?w=1099&amp;ssl=1 1099w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The Spartans\u2019 Alex Graber and the Jets\u2019 Dakota Perry locked up in a pitchers\u2019 duel, both pitching very effectively, though with different styles. Graber relied on strikeouts, whiffing 14 Jets, while Perry struck out only two and leaned on his defense, which turned four double plays. Graber walked only two, Perry none.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Spartans (14-9) played errorless ball. The Jets (16-8) had only two errors, but they were costly, leading to both Homestead runs in the fourth inning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/heartlandauctionrealty.com\/\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wzbd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Template.jpg?resize=640%2C360&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14371\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wzbd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Template-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wzbd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Template-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wzbd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Template-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wzbd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Template-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wzbd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Template-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wzbd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Template-scaled.jpg?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wzbd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Template-scaled.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In that key inning, Graber led off with a groundout to third baseman Keagen Combs, but then Spartan DH Cole Kintz reached base on shortstop Ryan Tester\u2019s throwing error. Johnnie Ankenbruck followed with a single to right, sending Kintz to third. Ankenbruck\u2019s courtesy runner, Luke Riha, took second uncontested on the first pitch to Brady Minnick. Minnick then grounded to Tester, whose only play was to first, as Kintz scored the first run of the game, with Riha advancing to third. He scored Homestead\u2019s second run when Combs bobbled Zane Wirges\u2019s two-out grounder.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/wzbd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/ByallAC.mp3\"><\/audio><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>WZBD&#8217;s Randy Hisner spoke with Homestead head coach Nick Byall after the contest. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The score remained 2-0 through five. The hard-throwing Graber held down the Jets by mixing his fastball with change-ups and sharp-breaking sliders, allowing no hits and only one runner, on a first-inning walk to Ethan Funk.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the Jets rallied in the sixth. Lawson Deathe walked with one out, and Jack Hamilton sent him to second with a single to right. Funk\u2019s ground ball to short resulted in a force out at second, Deathe moving to third on the play. When Graber\u2019s first pitch to Trevor Currie sailed out of catcher Ankenbruck\u2019s reach, Deathe dashed home with what turned out to be the Jets\u2019 only run. With two out, Ankenbruck threw behind Funk at second, but Funk escaped the pickoff and made it to third. Currie then hit a screaming line drive right to Homestead third baseman Aiden Phillips for the third out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/p\/Adams-County-Tent-and-Party-Rental-100057774784997\/\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"398\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wzbd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/AdamsCountPartyRental.jpg?resize=640%2C398&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5086\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wzbd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/AdamsCountPartyRental-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C637&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wzbd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/AdamsCountPartyRental-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C187&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wzbd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/AdamsCountPartyRental-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C478&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wzbd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/AdamsCountPartyRental-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C955&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wzbd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/AdamsCountPartyRental-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1274&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wzbd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/AdamsCountPartyRental-scaled.jpg?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wzbd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/AdamsCountPartyRental-scaled.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Adams Central coach Josh Foster knew that bad luck on Currie\u2019s rocket shot cost the Jets. \u201cCurrie\u2019s line drive, if it\u2019s another three feet, that gets through and it\u2019s a 2-2 game,\u201d he said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Perry kept mowing down the Spartans, giving up only three singles after the fourth inning, and two of those were erased on double plays. The first one came after Will Karshner hit a one-out single in the fifth. The next batter, Caleb Bradford, hit a grounder to first baseman Currie\u2019s right. Currie fielded it, threw to Tester at second, and Tester fired to Perry at first for the rare 3-6-1 double play.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Second baseman Ethan Funk nabbed Ankenbruck\u2019s liner in the sixth and doubled off Kintz at first for the Jets\u2019 fourth double play of the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tester led off the seventh with a single, but Graber got Perry to hit into a fielder\u2019s choice and then struck out Cade Van De Weg and Combs to end the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Homestead coach Nick Byall appreciates what he\u2019s got in Graber. \u201cHe\u2019s been phenomenal for us all year,\u201d he said. \u201cHe\u2019s been kind of our workhorse. He\u2019s kept us in games when we haven\u2019t been able to score runs; he\u2019s been the guy to hold the line and get us to where we need to go.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Graber\u2019s command of his pitches, according to Byall, is no accident. \u201cHe works on everything,\u201d he said. \u201cHe\u2019s trying to perfect his craft, and you love it because he goes out and competes every time and tries to mix it up. He comes out with a plan; he\u2019s not just out there chucking it like a young kid.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTheir coach told me before the game that he (Graber) is pretty darn good, and he was,\u201d said Foster. \u201cBut I think Dakota Perry matched him step-for-step, for the most part\u201478 pitches, a complete game. He pitched to contact, and we turned four double plays, which is big, especially against a great opponent like that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Perry gave up seven hits\u2014two each to Ankenbruck and Karshner\u2014and no earned runs. Graber yielded only two hits and one earned run.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Jets will host Blackford Thursday at 5:00 P.M.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>RANDY HISNER WZBD.com When pitchers throw strikes and fielders make plays, baseball games don\u2019t take very long, and<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":16300,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[29,44,15,26],"class_list":["post-16299","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","tag-adamscentral","tag-baseball","tag-featured","tag-sports"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wzbd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/IMG_2462.jpg?fit=2179%2C1813&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wzbd.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16299","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wzbd.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wzbd.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wzbd.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wzbd.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16299"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wzbd.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16299\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wzbd.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16300"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wzbd.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16299"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wzbd.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16299"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wzbd.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16299"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}