Lemaster, Blue Lions shut out Panthers, 2-0

0

The Washington Blue Lions visited Miami Trace for a Frontier Athletic Conference game Friday, April 29.

The Blue Lions scored one run in the third and one in the fourth and held on for a 2-0 win.

Tanner Lemaster started on the mound for Washington and pitched a complete game for the win. He allowed no runs and five hits with three walks and nine strikeouts.

Conner Bucher started and took the loss for the Panthers, working five innings with six hits and two runs (one earned) with three walks and eight strikeouts.

Wes May pitched two scoreless innings in relief for Miami Trace, striking out two.

Also Friday, Chillicothe upset Jackson, 11-9, giving the Ironmen their second loss in the FAC, creating for the moment a three-way tie for first place, along with Washington and Miami Trace.

“We lost to them at home, 4-3,” Washington head coach Mark Schwartz said of the first meeting between the two Fayette County schools on April 21. “We had our chances in that game, but didn’t pull it out.

“We lost to Jackson this week by one run in extra innings,” Schwartz said. “We had our chances in that game.

“We went to (Dayton to play Sidney Thursday),” Schwartz said. “We enjoyed the environment there, playing on a Minor League field (home of the Dragons). We just didn’t play like we’re capable.

“I’m so proud of these guys today,” Schwartz said. “Especially Tanner. Tanner’s the guy we’ve really relied on this year to pitch a couple of times a week. He’s always taken the ball and he’s pitched great. He was phenomenal tonight. He had a big hit for us tonight in the third inning to drive in a run.

“Any time Conner Bucher is pitching, you’re not going to score a lot of runs,” Schwartz said.

“Freshman Will Miller had a single and a triple,” Schwartz said. “That was huge.

“Evan Lynch got the second run in with a line drive to the outfield,” Schwartz said. “It’s a great win for us.”

Miami Trace is ranked No. 7 in the state this week in the coaches poll.

“In this rivalry, it’s always a close game,” Schwartz said. “As long as I’ve been coaching, it seems we’ve been on the losing end more so than we obviously have. But, it’s great to come out here and get a win. I think this is the first time we’ve beaten them since 2018.

“Miami Trace is a good team,” Schwartz said. “We may face them in the tournament, you never know. I couldn’t be more proud of our team.”

“He pitched a whale of a game,” Miami Trace head coach Rob Smith said of Lemaster. “Tanner’s an athlete and a very good baseball player. Everybody thinks about him playing basketball and football, but, he’s a whale of a baseball player. He pitched a great game.

“Conner pitched a great five innings,” Smith said. “Wesley May pitched great. It was a good high school baseball game.

“We had our chances a couple of times and Tanner worked himself out of it,” Smith said. “They were fortunate when they got their two runs. You just tip your hat. It was just a great high school baseball game. I don’t think, in this area, that you’re going to see two better pitchers going at each other like we saw tonight.

“That’s what makes Court House dangerous,” Smith said. “The three-headed monster (Lemaster, Titus Lotz and A.J. Dallmayer) plus a couple of others along with that. That’s what makes them a dangerous team. They’ve got pitching. Yeah, you have to score runs, but, if you’ve got the pitching, you can win games 2-0.

“They took advantage of a couple of situations and that was the difference in the ball game,” Smith said. “It was a well-played high school baseball game. The last time we played them we came out on top and that was great. This time we fell short. We’re both good baseball teams. One team had to win it and hats off to them.”

Washington scored in the third when John Wall reached on an error. A.J. Dallmayer followed with an infield hit and Lemaster hit a line drive single to left field, scoring Wall.

In the fourth, Will Miller led off with a triple down the left field line.

Evan Lynch drilled a single to center, scoring Miller.

The Blue Lions (12-4 overall, 7-2 in the FAC) are home to host Logan Elm Tuesday at 5 p.m. for senior night. Washington is at Hillsboro Thursday and at East Clinton Friday.

The Panthers (10-2 overall, 5-2 in the FAC) host Chillicothe Monday and non-league opponent Adena Tuesday at 5 p.m.

Hillsboro visits Miami Trace Wednesday and the Panthers finish the conference at Jackson on Friday, May 6.

As of Friday night, Washington was 7-2 in the FAC, followed by Jackson at 6-2 and Miami Trace at 5-2.

Offensively for Washington: Titus Lotz, 1-4; John Wall, 1-3, 1 run, sac; A.J. Dallmayer, 2-4, 3b; Tanner Lemaster, 1-2, 1 rbi, 2 bb; Tyler Tackage, 0-4; Jack Mead, 1-3, 1 bb; Bryce Yeazel, 0-4; Will Miller, 2-3, 1 run, 3b; Evan Lynch, 1-3, 1 rbi. LOB: 11.

Offensively for Miami Trace: Gaige Stuckey, 1-4, sb; Wes May, 0-2; Wyatt Hicks, 0-0; Conner Bucher, 1-2, 1 bb, 2b; Dillon Hyer, 0-3; Gabe Campagna, 0-2; Preston Edwards, 0-0; Brady Armstrong, 0-3; Cole Little, 2-3; Ashton Connell, 0-2; Austin Boedecker, 1-3. LOB: 7.

RHE

W 001 100 0 — 2 9 0

MT 000 000 0 — 0 5 2

Washington’s Titus Lotz takes a lead at second base during a Frontier Athletic Conference game at Miami Trace High School Friday, April 29, 2022. Pictured for Miami Trace is shortstop Brady Armstrong.
https://www.recordherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2022/04/web1_Titus-Lotz-vs-Miami-Trace-BLB-4-29-22.jpgWashington’s Titus Lotz takes a lead at second base during a Frontier Athletic Conference game at Miami Trace High School Friday, April 29, 2022. Pictured for Miami Trace is shortstop Brady Armstrong. Chris Hoppes | Record-Herald

Dillon Hyer of Miami Trace makes the force of Tanner Lemaster (23) of Washington as he turns a double play during a Frontier Athletic Conference game at Miami Trace Friday, April 29, 2022.
https://www.recordherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2022/04/web1_Dillon-Hyer-MT-bb-vs-Blue-Lions-4-29-2022.jpgDillon Hyer of Miami Trace makes the force of Tanner Lemaster (23) of Washington as he turns a double play during a Frontier Athletic Conference game at Miami Trace Friday, April 29, 2022. Chris Hoppes | Record-Herald

By Chris Hoppes

[email protected]

No posts to display