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Workmanlike Miners top Cougars
It wasn’t flashy or spectacular. The Linton-Stockton Miners simply hit, pitched and fielded.
The Miners got timely hits when they needed them, made plays in the field and took advantage when opportunities presented themselves.
The end result was a workmanlike 6-0 Southwestern Indiana Athletic Conference victory over the visiting North Daviess Cougars at Roy Herndon Field Wednesday night.
Starting hurler Kip Fougerousse tossed a complete-game shutout, striking out 10 Cougars to earn the win.
“I’m really happy with the kids,” Linton coach Matt Fougerousse said. “It was a good conference win.
“North Daviess is a quality ballclub. They’ve gotten some good wins lately.”
The Cougars did manage to touch Kip Fougerousse for seven hits. But they were unable to string enough of them together to push a run across.
“I was pretty pleased with how we hit the baseball,” North Daviess skipper Steven McNabb said. “Kip is obviously one of the best players in our area. We knew what we were up against. We had guys on but just couldn’t get a timely hit.”
North Daviess would have needed to get to Fougerousse early. The Indiana University commit got stronger as the game went on, picking up velocity. Eight of his 10 whiffs came from the fourth inning on.
The Miners got on the board first, with two outs in the home half of the second frame.
Dane Witty hustled to beat out an infield hit. Kaleb Crane was hit by a pitch, then Cash Howard delivered an RBI single, driving in Witty.
“Cash had a big hit early to get us on the board and start things off for us,” the Miner dugout boss said.
Linton tacked on three more in the third. Noah Woodward and Fougerousse started the inning with base hits followed by Dreyden Ward’s blooper. Woodward trotted home on a bases-loaded walk to Kyle Anderson. Fougerousse scored on a wild pitch and the runners moved up. Ward crossed the plate on Witty’s second infield hit of the night.
The opportunistic Miners tallied two more in the fifth on wild pitches. Kyle Anderson lined a single to left and Witty reached on an error. Witty and Anderson’s courtesy runner Seth Doyal advanced on a wild pitch. Doyal raced home on the next wide one. Ball four to Howard sailed high over the catcher’s head and Witty came across with Linton’s sixth run.
Fougerousse pitched his way out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the fifth - with a little help from Witty.
Shom Berry was safe on an error and Kirk Wagler singled through the hole between third and short. Witty fielded Brandon Craven’s looper to right and gunned down Berry headed for third.
Landon Mokris lined a single to left, filling the sacks with Cougars. But designated hitter Jack Wininger went down swinging ending the threat.
Witty nailed Tyler Dunbar on a similar play the inning before. The North Daviess third baseman was attempting to take third on Max Wesner’s single to right but Witty’s throw was on target.
Linton-Stockton raised its season mark to 10-3. The Miners are undefeated in SWIAC play at 4-0. North Daviess drops to even .500 (7-7, 2-2).
“Linton’s a great team,” McNabb acknowledged. “They have depth and they have talent at every position. They put a lot of pressure on you up and down the lineup.”
Next up for the Miners is a road trip to Orleans Saturday morning.
North Daviess 000 000 0 -- 0 7 1
Linton-Stockton 013 020 x -- 6 9 1
NORTH DAVIESS (7-7, 2-2) -- Chris Reed (L), Kirk Wagler (3), Daryn Lengacher (5) and Shom Berry. Top hitters: Wagler 3-4, Max Wesner 2-3.
LINTON-STOCKTON (10-3, 4-0) -- Kip Fougerousse (W) and Kyle Anderson. Top hitters: Noah Woodward 2-4, Dreyden Ward 2-4, Dane Witty 2-3.
