Valley Captures TRC Win In Dramatic Fashion
May 10, 2018 at 4:18 p.m.
Valley Captures TRC Win In Dramatic Fashion
By Zach [email protected]
In a 7-6 high school baseball victory, Valley (4-14, 1-6 TRC) scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh to claim its first conference win of the season.
After two quick outs in the bottom of the frame, senior Adam Myers hit a single. Junior Wes Melanson came up and ripped a double to score Myers and move himself into scoring position with two outs.
Sophomore Tucker Shull came up to bat next and hit a rocket up the middle to centerfield, and Melanson slid head first into home to seal the walkoff victory.
“We needed that bad,” said Valley coach Greg Prater. “The boys never quit, and we had hits come when we needed them. Tucker looked good in the cage before the game and I told him to believe in himself, and that’s what he did.”
At the beginning of the game, one would’ve thought it was going to be a home run derby with the strong winds blowing out to left center.
Peru (9-7, 3-4 TRC) sophomore shortstop Daunte Majors led the game off with a home run over the scoreboard in left field to gain the early lead.
The Vikings entered the scoring column in the bottom half of the third inning after a blast from junior Ethan Yates. Melanson got the scoring going in the fourth inning with a home run of his own. He just missed hitting one in the second inning, but flew out to deep center.
“We took batting practice in the cage before the game and not on the field,” Prater said. “The main reason I did that was so the guys wouldn’t be trying to hit home runs.”
The game plan worked, as Valley had 11 hits in the contest, with six being singles.
Myers got the start for the Vikings on the mound. He allowed six hits, three runs, five walks and struck out five in three innings of work. His biggest play defensively came in the top of the fifth when he moved behind the plate to play catcher.
Peru’s Kasey Comp led the inning off with a single, but after a missed bunt attempt by DJ Fuller, Myers threw a bullet to first to throw out Comp, who strayed too far from the base.
Fuller singled and moved to second after a hit by Majors. During the next at-bat with two runners on, Myers mishandled the pitch and Fuller took off for third. Myers pounced on the ball and showed off his arm again and threw out Fuller at third.
“That’s what Adam does for us,” Prater said. “He’s played first base and made great plays, he pitches and catches for us as well. No matter where he’s at, he will give us what he’s got.”
Valley pushed two runs across in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game and then took the lead in the fifth after three straight singles, a sacrifice bunt and a passed ball.
The Tigers added two runs in the top of the sixth to regain the lead. Valley got two quick outs after a 4-6-3 double play, but Peru was able to get runners on after a hit-by-pitch, a double and an error allowed two runs to score.
Melanson led the Vikings with three hits. Freshmen Layne Prater and Payton Mills, and Myers added two hits each in the contest.
Majors led the Tigers with two hits and two RBIs. He had Myers’ number at the plate, hitting his home run and a triple off of him in the first two innings.
“I told Myers no more pitching to him,” said Prater. “We were going to pitch around him or intentionally walk him.”
The Vikings host North Miami on Monday for a TRC showdown. First pitch is slated for 5 p.m.
TIPPECANOE VALLEY 7, PERU 6
P 110 202 0 – 6 8 0
TV 001 220 2 – 7 11 2
Peru – Townsend (L, 2.1IP, 3H, 2R, 2ER, 0BB, 3K), McConahay (1.1IP, 5H, 4R, 4ER, 1BB, 2K), Tyler (3IP, 3H, 1R, 1ER, 0BB, 2K)
Valley – Ethan Yates (W, 2.1IP, 2H, 2R, 1ER, 0BB, 0K), Adam Myers (3IP, 6H, 3R, 3ER, 5BB, 5K), Tucker Shull (1.2IP, 0H, 1R, 0ER, 0BB, 0K)
2B – Wes Melanson (TV), Tucker Shull (TV), Payton Mills (TV), Lucas McConahay (P)
3B – Daunte Majors (P)
HR – Wes Melanson (TV), Ethan Yates (TV), Daunte Majors (P)
Records: Valley 4-14 (1-6 TRC), Peru 9-7 (3-4 TRC)
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In a 7-6 high school baseball victory, Valley (4-14, 1-6 TRC) scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh to claim its first conference win of the season.
After two quick outs in the bottom of the frame, senior Adam Myers hit a single. Junior Wes Melanson came up and ripped a double to score Myers and move himself into scoring position with two outs.
Sophomore Tucker Shull came up to bat next and hit a rocket up the middle to centerfield, and Melanson slid head first into home to seal the walkoff victory.
“We needed that bad,” said Valley coach Greg Prater. “The boys never quit, and we had hits come when we needed them. Tucker looked good in the cage before the game and I told him to believe in himself, and that’s what he did.”
At the beginning of the game, one would’ve thought it was going to be a home run derby with the strong winds blowing out to left center.
Peru (9-7, 3-4 TRC) sophomore shortstop Daunte Majors led the game off with a home run over the scoreboard in left field to gain the early lead.
The Vikings entered the scoring column in the bottom half of the third inning after a blast from junior Ethan Yates. Melanson got the scoring going in the fourth inning with a home run of his own. He just missed hitting one in the second inning, but flew out to deep center.
“We took batting practice in the cage before the game and not on the field,” Prater said. “The main reason I did that was so the guys wouldn’t be trying to hit home runs.”
The game plan worked, as Valley had 11 hits in the contest, with six being singles.
Myers got the start for the Vikings on the mound. He allowed six hits, three runs, five walks and struck out five in three innings of work. His biggest play defensively came in the top of the fifth when he moved behind the plate to play catcher.
Peru’s Kasey Comp led the inning off with a single, but after a missed bunt attempt by DJ Fuller, Myers threw a bullet to first to throw out Comp, who strayed too far from the base.
Fuller singled and moved to second after a hit by Majors. During the next at-bat with two runners on, Myers mishandled the pitch and Fuller took off for third. Myers pounced on the ball and showed off his arm again and threw out Fuller at third.
“That’s what Adam does for us,” Prater said. “He’s played first base and made great plays, he pitches and catches for us as well. No matter where he’s at, he will give us what he’s got.”
Valley pushed two runs across in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game and then took the lead in the fifth after three straight singles, a sacrifice bunt and a passed ball.
The Tigers added two runs in the top of the sixth to regain the lead. Valley got two quick outs after a 4-6-3 double play, but Peru was able to get runners on after a hit-by-pitch, a double and an error allowed two runs to score.
Melanson led the Vikings with three hits. Freshmen Layne Prater and Payton Mills, and Myers added two hits each in the contest.
Majors led the Tigers with two hits and two RBIs. He had Myers’ number at the plate, hitting his home run and a triple off of him in the first two innings.
“I told Myers no more pitching to him,” said Prater. “We were going to pitch around him or intentionally walk him.”
The Vikings host North Miami on Monday for a TRC showdown. First pitch is slated for 5 p.m.
TIPPECANOE VALLEY 7, PERU 6
P 110 202 0 – 6 8 0
TV 001 220 2 – 7 11 2
Peru – Townsend (L, 2.1IP, 3H, 2R, 2ER, 0BB, 3K), McConahay (1.1IP, 5H, 4R, 4ER, 1BB, 2K), Tyler (3IP, 3H, 1R, 1ER, 0BB, 2K)
Valley – Ethan Yates (W, 2.1IP, 2H, 2R, 1ER, 0BB, 0K), Adam Myers (3IP, 6H, 3R, 3ER, 5BB, 5K), Tucker Shull (1.2IP, 0H, 1R, 0ER, 0BB, 0K)
2B – Wes Melanson (TV), Tucker Shull (TV), Payton Mills (TV), Lucas McConahay (P)
3B – Daunte Majors (P)
HR – Wes Melanson (TV), Ethan Yates (TV), Daunte Majors (P)
Records: Valley 4-14 (1-6 TRC), Peru 9-7 (3-4 TRC)
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