Photos by Steven Wright | Greene County News
Cedarville junior Mason Johnson looks down toward first base after recovering a dropped third strike in Tuesday’s loss to Madison Plains.
Firing across the diamond for the out from shortstop is Cedarville junior Braydon Criswell (left).
Cedarville junior Jacob Winter goes in uncontested to second for one of his two steals during a four-hit game.
Wisely laying off a low pitch for Cedarville is junior James Dray.
CEDARVILLE — Third base was the focal point of how Madison Plains got its first Ohio Heritage Conference win of the season when it visited Cedarville on Tuesday.
The Indians had multiple runners thrown out trying to advance without being forced, while a crucial error on a pickoff attempt helped the Eagles get a 5-3 win.
With Cedarville leading 1-0 in the fifth inning, consecutive errors on plays at first base allowed Madison Plains to tie the score and put two runners in scoring position with one out. As the ensuing hitter reached a 2-1 count, Tyler Cross appeared to catch the runner at third too far off the bag as he threw over for a pickoff. Jake Winter did not react from his defensive position, causing the ball to sail by and head down the line in foul territory as both base runners safely scampered home.
In the half inning prior, Cedarville (2-11) was unable to add to its lead after laying down a sacrifice bunt to advance James Dray to second. A ground ball hit to short turned into a fielder’s choice to cut him down at third.
Down by three in the bottom of the sixth, Jacob Lide stole second with one out but an unlucky bouncer hit back to the mound by Luke Moore caught Lide running on contact as he was also easily removed from the base paths at third.
Seemingly having plays at the hot corner go even more in favor of MP (2-14), a bases loaded, two out curving liner in the top of the sixth hit the chalk a few feet behind the bag, producing plenty of white dust and plating what became the winning runs of the game.
Cedarville tried to claw back in its last at-bat after James Dray got a base hit to cut the deficit to two and bring the potential winning run to the plate. Multiple big breaking balls by Payton Pollock of MP kept Cedarville hitters watching strikes though as he retired the side himself to secure the win.
Winter went 4-for-4 at the plate, mostly smashing hard hit groundballs for singles. Cross struck out eight Eagles hitters in 4 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run in a solid outing.
Lide got out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the seventh with a pair of K’s to keep Cedarville within striking distance.
Contact Steven Wright at 937-502-4498 and follow on Twitter @Steven_Wright_.
