The Wapahani Raiders came into the 2015 season as the pre-season ranked #1 team in Class 2A. They seem to have come across some bumps in the road along the way and there are reasons why Noblesville and Wapahani have scheduled this meeting.
Noblesville is the defending Class 4A state champion, winning last June 20th vs. Terre Haute North, 2-1, in front of a record crowd of 4,961 for a high school game at Victory Field.
Wapahani comes into 2015 as the 2014 Class 2A state champion with a 2-0 win over Evansville Mater Dei on June 21st. The Raiders were also the 2A state runners-up in 2004, dropping a 2-0 decision to Hammond Bishop Noll.
Plus, who wouldn't want to see a match-up of two of last year's four state champions when we're 2/3 of the way through the season?
Noblesville 12, 2A #5 Wapahani 0 - (5 innings) (Tues. 5/5 at The Dunk, Noblesville)
Raiders 0 0 0 0 0 - 0 3 0
Millers 3 3 1 5 x - 12 11 0
Junior right-hander Clayton Marowski took to the mound and was looking to fix the pitching woes that he faced recently. His last appearance was in the series clincher at Zionsville on Thursday, April 23, so it seemed obvious that Marowski was anxious to get back out there and pitch.
Completely focused throughout the 5 inning game, Marowski was dialed in and forced two fly outs and a ground out to quickly close out the 1st.
The Millers figured they would break out their sticks right away in this one.
Vince Essig walked with one out, followed by two more by Michael Carmosino and Connor Christman to load the bags in a hurry. Bryce Masterson then smacked a two-run double on one hop off of the fence in right, plating Essig and Carmo for a 2-0 lead.
With Christman at third, Ty Lindstrand hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Connor for a 3-0 score for the Millers after one.
Marowski faced five hitters in the 2nd, but only threw 7 pitches, allowing two singles and a fielder's choice, stranding both Wapahani runners on base.
After Alex Cleverly lined out to third to begin the inning, Alec Parker, Travis Gillian and Vince Essig all three singled to load the bases for the second consecutive inning. Carmosino lined a single to left down the line, scoring Parker and Gillian to make it 5-0. Christman then hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Essig and it was a 6-0 Noblesville advantage after two.
Chandler Wise led off the 3rd with a single. Hayden Castor flied out to center for the first out. Hunter Stanley lined out to Carmo at 2nd and stepped on second base for the unassisted double play to end the inning and any sort of threat by the 2A #5 Raiders.
A two-out walk from Parker started a rally. The Miller 1B stole second and was driven in by Gillian's long single to right center to put the Millers up 7-0 through 3 innings.
Essig led off the bottom of the 4th with a triple to deep left center to help pump up his teammates. Carmosino grounded up the middle for an RBI single to score Vince to make it 8-0.
Christman singled in the hole between short and third and that would be all for starting pitcher Cody Smith. Chandler Wise came in to relieve Smith and that's when the Millers opened the flood gates that would let them end this game early.
L.J. Tilley came on to pinch hit for Lindstrand. Tilley was clutch with a one-out, 2-run single to left, which scored Carmo and Christman for a 10-0 score. Austin Shirley hit an RBI double to left center to get Tilley home with ease for 11-0. The final run would come across the plate when Wise balked on the mound, allowing Parker second base, following a walk and Shirley an easy walk home for the final score of 12-0.
Over his final two innings on the mound, Marowski didn't allow the ball out of the infield, forcing three ground outs, a line out and striking out two. He tossed a 3-hitter over 5 innings, throwing just 45 pitches (32 strikes) to move his record to 2-1 on the season.
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