Eastern rallies in sixth to beat North Central

Bradley Padgett gets ready to deliver a pitch. Eastern coach Ben Hutcherson praised the junior hurler for his efforts on the mound.

By Andrew Bowen

LITTLE CINCINNATI -- Eastern pulled off the last rally Wednesday night to hand visiting North Central an 8-5 loss in the duel between the Thunderbirds.

North Central (1-5, 0-3 in the Southwest Indiana Athletic Conference) struck for three runs in the top of the sixth to knot the score at five apiece. Eastern (2-4, 1-1) countered with three runs in its half of the inning as Blayne Campbell slammed a three-run homer over the center field fence.

”It was a game we needed,” Eastern coach Ben Hutcherson said. “We’ve been on a bit of a downward streak. It was a good team win.”

Isiaha Padgett slides into second on a successful steal in the fifth inning.

By Andrew Bowen

He added that Campbell has hit the ball well in all but one of Eastern’s games.

“They threw him a fastball and he hit it,” Hutcherson said of Campbell’s blast. “He actually hit the laces off of that one.”

Eastern received good performances from both pitchers, starter Bradley Padgett and Caleb Hamilton who relieved him in the sixth, Hutcherson said. The coach said Padgett showed promise on last year’s JV team and has already pitched a couple of times. He said he “feels comfortable giving him the baseball on the opening game of the sectional.

Colton Rollins singles home a run in the fourth inning.

By Andrew Bowen

“He performs regardless of the situation,” Hutcherson said.

He added that Hamilton threw the ball hard and placed it well. He said Hamilton threw a bunch of strikes, fanning the last two batters he faced in the top of the seventh.

“I think that’s the best I’ve seen him throw,” Hutcherson said.

The Farmersburg Thunderbirds struck first as Blake Chatman doubled home two runs in the first inning. The home team countered with a run in its at-bat as Campbell singled, stole second, took third on a passed ball, and came home on Brady Anderson’s single down the left-field line.

Two errors and Jackson Rogers’ single helped Eastern take the lead with two runs in the bottom of the second. The T-Birds upped the lead to 5-2 as Jackson Rogers singled home a run in the fourth and Hamilton brought Isiaha Padgett home with a sacrifice fly in the fifth.

The visitors tied the game in the sixth inning. A drooped fly ball and a hit batter gave the Farmersburg Thunderbirds runners on first and second with one out. Jacob Pritchard lofted a double to left to score one run, and Cody Curtis cleared the bases with a single.

Then Campbell’s blast said good night to the visitors.

Eastern travels to Shakamak at 5:30 p.m. Friday for another SWIAC battle.

N. Central 200 003 0 -- 5 8 5

Eastern 120 113 x -- 8 9 1

B. Padgett, Hamilton (6), and I. Padgett; Bonacorsi, Wanninger (6), Curtis (6), and Chatman. WP -- Hamilton. LP -- Curtis. 2B -- Blubaugh (E), Chatman (NC), Pritchard (NC). HR -- Campbell (E). SF -- Hamilton (E). SB -- Bonacorsi (NC), Campbell (E), Curtis (NC), Hamilton (E), I. Padgett (E), Pritchard (NC), Rollins (E). DP -- Eastern 1.