GREENVILLE – The Greenville Green Wave varsity baseball team put together timely hitting, sharp defense, and a complete-game pitching performance from freshman Drew Newland to earn a 4-1 Miami Valley League win over the visiting Sidney Yellow Jackets at Sater Heights Park.
Newland went the distance on the mound for Greenville, allowing just one run on five hits while walking two and striking out five to secure the conference victory.
“That was a big one,” said Greenville coach Chad Henry. “The big thing was that Drew did not come out with all of his stuff. He struggled a little bit, but he got it together really quickly. The thing of it was, we made double plays, but it seemed like every time we needed something up the middle of the field, they turned it for us real quick and got us out of it.”
Sidney struck first at the top of the opening inning, using a single to left field to plate a run and grab an early 1-0 lead.
The Green Wave answered in the bottom of the second inning. Ethan Jones and Braylon Byers delivered back-to-back one-out singles before Troy Lavy lined a two-out RBI single to right field, knotting the game at 1-1.
Greenville moved in front for good in the bottom of the third. Chilly Jasenski beat out an infield single before Gibson “Gibby” Steyer ripped a run-scoring double down the right field line to give the Green Wave a 2-1 advantage.
“Gibby came up, and we had someone on,” Henry said. “We were just talking about hitting behind runners and making more productive at-bats, and Gibby hit a laser down the right field line for a double and scored. Every time we needed something, the guys stepped up, and we kept pressure on.”
The Green Wave added to the lead in the fifth inning when Lavy opened the frame with a single and later scored on an RBI single to center by Isaac Kerg for a 3-1 Greenville lead.
Greenville added an insurance run in the sixth inning. Jones singled with one out and later scored on a two-out RBI single to right by Newland, stretching the lead to 4-1.
“We got some nice, timely hits, we got some guys on base,” Henry said. “We had first and second and we stole on the pitch, put a hit and run on and Drew dropped right over top second base so we never broke stride so that was a good one to give us a 4-1 lead right there.”
The Green Wave defense backed Newland throughout the game, turning two double plays while the outfield tracked down several hard-hit balls.
“Michael Fox had an incredible game in the outfield,” Henry continued. “He ran down a couple of balls that all of us were getting whiplash on some of the ball that were being hit, and it seemed like him and Gibby ran underneath everything.”
Newland earned the win for Greenville, pitching all seven innings while allowing one run on five hits with five strikeouts and two walks. Sidney starter Jordan Shipe took the loss after allowing four runs on 10 hits over five and two-thirds innings.
Greenville pounded out 10 hits in the victory with Jones, Kerg, and Lavy collecting two hits apiece. Kerg, Lavy, Steyer, and Newland each drove in a run for the Green Wave.
Henry said he has been pleased with the growth and identity his young team has developed throughout the season despite returning only three lettermen.
“It’s an entirely different group for only having three returning lettermen,” said Coach Henry. “We’re right in the middle of the MVL in hitting, we’re first in base running. These guys are developing a little bit of an identity. Going through my first five hitters is about as difficult as going through anybody’s. They go up there, they compete, and even when we don’t do something, these guys are getting five, six, seven pitches out of the pitcher, and then hitting the ball hard. It’s a fun team. The baseball IQ has gone up a lot, they’re having fun, and it’s a fun group to be with.”
With the win, Greenville improves to 8-13 on the season while Sidney falls to 7-13.
BOX SCORE:
123 456 7 R H E
100 000 0 1 5 0 Sidney
011 011 X 4 10 1 Greenville
