FM tops the Tribe

FORT RECOVERY - Nathan Keller stepped to the plate and blasted the first offering of the game from Zach Diceany over the "purple monster" in left field. Unfortunately for the Indians, they had already given up four runs in the top of the inning.

The Fort Recovery High School baseball team never recovered from its early deficit, giving up four more runs in the fourth inning and trailing throughout a 12-8 loss Monday to the Franklin Monroe Jets.

"Every day is a work in progress," said first-year coach Jeff Hahn, whose team has dropped three straight since winning its opener. "We're nowhere near where we need to be right now. We'll continue to work on it and hopefully get better."

Franklin Monroe (1-4) jumped on the Indians early as leadoff man Jordan Booher started the game with a single up the middle and then stole second base. Grant O'Dell added a walk, and Reed Johnson singled to load the bases.

After FRHS starter Nate Keller struck out No. 4 hitter Clint Nealeigh, second baseman Jared Kahlig made a diving stop on a hopper up the middle by Dylan Lavey. However, Kahlig couldn't get the flip to shortstop Cody Fiely covering second base, allowing Booher to score and leaving the bases loaded again.

Zack Diceany brought O'Dell to the plate with a ground-out to first base, and Garrett Smith drove in two runs with a single to center field before Keller was able to escape the inning

"We told the guys we needed to come out and get on (the board) early and get them in often, set the tone for the rest of the game," said Franklin Monroe coach Brian Happy, a Coldwater graduate, after his first victory with the Jets. "We talked about (making competitive outs), especially at the bottom of our lineup.

"I think the guys did a great job of putting the ball in play ... and we got the chance to put up some runs."

Booher responded to Keller's homer with a triple to lead off the second inning, and he later scored on a double-steal.

And after a walk, fielder's choice and infield hit in the fourth inning, Franklin Monroe (1-4) turned to some small ball.

Lavey and Diceany executed near-perfect back-to-back bunts, the first stopping six inches inside the third-base line and the second rolling dead on the chalk of the first-base line.

A couple of Indian errors and a sacrifice fly from Nate Bowling helped the Jets to another four-run inning.

"That's actually the first time this season we actually turned small ball into something," said Happy. "I was really happy for the guys. That gives them a little confidence. It was just beautiful. I couldn't have asked anything more of them."

Lavy added a triple in the seventh inning and finished 4-for-5 with three runs and an RBI. Smith was 3-for-3 with four RBIs, and Johnson had a triple and three runs.

Keller suffered the loss, allowing nine runs on 10 hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings.

"Nathan the first time out, he was lights out for us," said Hahn of Keller, who gave up just three hits while striking out eight in the season-opening win over Fairlawn. "He went six strong.

"I think he threw 30 pitches in the first inning (tonight). ... Control was a problem."

Fort Recovery tried to rally, getting single runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings before batting around in the sixth. Jason Pottkotter and Cody Fiely had back-to-back doubles in the sixth as a string of four straight Tribe runners reached base.

The Indians put up four runs in the sixth, but went down one-two-three in the seventh to end the game.

"Eight runs wins most ball games," said Hahn. "We had five on Saturday in the first game with eight hits and we came back in the second game and scored 10, and we don't win either game."

Keller led the FRHS offense with two hits, three runs and two RBIs. Shane Pottkotter and Fiely each had two hits, and Jason Pottkotter drove in two runs.

Diceany earned the win for Franklin Monroe, giving up six runs - five earned - on six hits and three walks in 5-plus innings.[[In-content Ad]]