NEW LEBANON – Greenville exploded for 17 runs on 13 hits and rolled to a 17-3 five-inning run-rule win at Dixie High School.
The Green Wave wasted no time getting on the board, taking a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Charlie (Chilly) Jasenski opened the game with a single, and Isaac Kerg followed with a home run to left field — the first of his two homers on the day. Greenville added another run in the inning on a Brody Baumann groundout.
“Chilly and Isaac have been setting the tone for us at the top of the lineup and Isaac just went off today,” said Greenville coach Chad Henry. “He got himself in favorable counts and made it count when the ball crossed the plate.”
“I told Isaac I don’t personally know the euphoria of hitting two home runs in a game, but to not let those two at-bats change your approach in the next one,” Henry added. “To his credit, he came back and hit three more balls hard and put together a monster of a game.”
Dixie answered with two runs in the bottom of the first on a home run to left field, but Greenville kept the pressure on.
The Wave broke the game open at the top of the second, scoring six runs on four hits to build a 9-2 lead. Kerg delivered again with a three-run homer to left, Braylon Byers singled home two runs, and Malieki Rhoades drew a bases-loaded walk to force in another run.
Greenville added three more runs in the third inning. Gibson Steyer doubled to bring home two runs, and Baumann followed with an RBI single to make it 12-2.
The Green Wave capped the scoring with a six-run fifth inning. Ethan Jones doubled in a run, Baumann added another RBI on a groundout, Rhoades singled home a run, Jasenski was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in another run, and Kerg doubled to drive in two more.
Rhoades earned the win in relief for Greenville. The senior right-hander allowed just two hits and no runs over three innings while striking out four and walking two.
“Malieki came into the game and did what we needed,” Henry said. “We had bases loaded with nobody out, and he strikes out the side. I told him I’m pretty sure you only get one no-runs pass in your lifetime in that situation, and I was glad he waited until he was a senior to use it.”
Jonathan Male got the start for Greenville, allowing three runs on three hits over two innings while striking out five and walking five.
Greenville’s offense was led by Jasenski and Kerg, who each collected three hits while batting back-to-back in the lineup. Kerg finished with two home runs, a double, and seven RBIs in a monster day at the plate. Steyer added two hits in three at-bats.
The Green Wave also showed patience at the plate, drawing eight walks. Rhoades and Michael Fox each had two walks, while Fox also stole three bases as Greenville finished with five stolen bases in the game.
Greenville played sharply defensively, finishing the game without committing an error.
“Our team defense has been great this past week,” Henry said. “There’s definitely some plays I feel we should be making, but to only have minimal errors in our games has been a blessing. Ethan made two catches in right field today that we thought were dropping, and Gibby was consistently great all week.”
BOX SCORE:
123 456 7 R H E
363 06X X 17 13 0 Greenville
210 00 X X 3 5 1 Dixie
