Falcons find fast offense

MINFORD — Double digit hits led to double digit runs for the Minford Falcons during Friday’s meeting with Wheelersburg in Southern Ohio Conference Division II play.

Minford’s fast start with a three-run first inning helped propel them to a 10-5 victory over the Pirates, improving their record to 6-4 overall (5-3 SOC II).

Junior Grant Wheeler, batting in the No. 3 position, sparked the Falcon offense with a two RBI triple — scoring junior Carson Cronin and senior Adam Crank who led the game with no-out singles.

Minford junior Grant Wheeler (13) got the Falcons on the board in the first inning, driving in a pair of runs with a triple during their 10-5 win over Wheelersburg in Southern Ohio Conference Division II play.

Jacob Smith | Daily Times

Junior Mason Book singled with one out to score Wheeler from third, putting Minford in front 3-0.

“Boys came in locked and ready from the get-go. They had the best round of batting practice before the game that I’ve seen from them all year,” Minford coach Eli Daniels said, after the game. “The approach at the plate was the same, they worked at it. Really challenged them to show up today and they did that.”

Wheelersburg rallied early, tying the game with three runs of their own in the third inning against Minford senior starting pitcher Noah Martin.

A two RBI single by junior Isaac Bockway and an RBI single by senior Lane Hutchinson helped put the Pirates on the board in the third.

Martin didn’t falter much after the third, however, going the distance in the complete game victory and striking out 10 Pirate batters.

“They did every little thing right, and winning the little things leads to big things. Think we won in all three phases (hitting, pitching, fielding). Huge shoutout to senior pitcher Noah Martin, he was at his pitch limit, on his last batter so had to get him out. He got it done and got it done his way, can’t say enough about that.”

After the Pirates made it a brand new ball game with a three-run third, Minford scored nine runs in the home half of the third — taking a 9-3 lead through three complete.

The Falcons batted around in their third as RBI hits by seniors Aodhan Queen, Crank, and Borland, and junior Rhyan Queen gave them a decisive six-run advantage.

“I’m going to give them a whole bunch of credit. That’s the best high school hitting team I’ve seen all year,” Wheelersburg coach Derek Moore said, of Minford. “They went up, chased fast balls and almost all of their outs were hard hit balls. You want to be able to hit the ball hard and put pressure on. We responded in the third scoring three, some up and down emotions. A good team like they are, they took advantage. Think we had a lot of walks and some errors in that six-run inning, not Wheelersburg baseball characteristic like.”

Wheelersburg earned a key SOC II victory 2-1 over Waverly on Monday (April 17), improving their record to 9-4 (7-2 SOC II).

Minford will host Valley on Wednesday (April 19) in SOC II play following their 4-0 victory over Oak Hill on Monday.

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BOX SCORE

Wheelersburg 003 002 0 — 5 7 1

Minford 306 001 X — 10 10 0

W: Noah Martin (M) 7IP, 7H, 8K, 5ER, 5BB; L: Connor Estep (W) 2.1 IP, 6H, 1K, 4BB, 7ER

Wheelersburg hitting

Creed Warren 1-3, R

Connor Estep 1-4, R

Isaac Bockway 1-3, 2RBI

Jake Darling 0-3, BB, R

Lane Hutchinson 2-3, BB, RBI

Caden Conn 1-3, RBI

Kolten Salyers 0-2, BB

Owen Young 0-3

Rowdy Watkins 1-2, R

Minford hitting

Carson Cronin 2-3, R

Adam Crank 2-3, R, 2RBI

Gage Wheeler 1-2, 2R, 3B, 2RBI

Aodhan Queen 1-4, RBI

Mason Book 1-4, R, RBI

Noah Martin 0-2, R

JD Matiz 0-2, R, BB, RBI

Rhyan Queen 0-1, R, 2BB, RBI

Cole Borland 3-3, RBI, 2R

Reach Jacob Smith at (740) 370-0713 ext. 1930, by email at [email protected], or on Twitter @JacobSmithPDT © 2023 Portsmouth Daily Times, all rights reserved