March 28, 2024

Creston bounces back twice to top Red Oak

Kadon Hulett homers, finishes with four RBIs

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Two big offensive innings helped Creston climb back from a three-run deficit to get an 11-9 home victory over Red Oak Tuesday.

Creston initially broke the game open in the third inning. Kadon Hulett muscled a two-run home run over the left-center field fence to start the Panthers’ scoring barrage.

“That was big to get us right back into it,” said Creston head coach Steve Birchard post game. “Kadon’s got the capability to get it out, whether the wind is blowing or not.”

Two batters later, Luke Latham dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move an additional two runners into scoring position. Both runners came around to score after Michael Scherer reached base on an error by the Tiger shortstop.

The scoring didn’t stop there as Cody Crawford lined a single into the outfield, scoring two more runs, extending the Panthers lead to 6-2 at the end of the third inning.

Red Oak closed the gap in the fourth inning after three runners reached base via walks. Two of those three runners came in to score. Cam Vanderhoof, who singled, came around to score on a wild pitch, cutting the Panther lead to one run at 6-5.

The Tigers’ fifth inning was of similar fashion as they quickly loaded bases. Vanderhoof knocked in a run with an RBI single. That was followed up with a bases clearing double by Carter Bruce pushing Red Oak’s lead to 9-6 at the end of the top half of the fifth.

The Panthers quickly retaliated scoring five runs in the bottom of the fifth after bringing 11 batters to the plate. Scherer and Brenden McDowell led off the inning with back-to-back singles. Jaden Driskell plated Scherer on an RBI groundout before Hulett’s big bat came back to the plate, knocking in another two RBIs on a single to center. Hulett finished 2-for-5 with a home run and 4 RBIs.

Batting for the second time in the fifth, Scherer picked up his second RBI by drawing a walk with the bases loaded extending the Panthers lead to two runs.

Scherer was perfect at the plate, going 2-for-2 with 2 RBIs.

Even with the 11 runs, the Panthers struggled to take advantage of all their opportunities. Creston left 14 runners on base stranding the bases loaded on three separate occasions. The Panthers stranded five runners in the first two innings at the plate.

Dustin Merritt pitched the final 2 and 1/3 innings facing eight batters, striking out four and closing the door on Red Oak’s chances of a comeback. Merritt hit the first batter he faced in the seventh inning before striking out the side and picking up the save.

“Dustin has been doing a nice job for us. Dustin’s trying to show a lot of confidence and he did a nice job, giving us two innings,” said Birchard.

Cody Crawford got the starting nod for the Panthers. He allowed five earned runs in 3.1 innings pitched including five hits and four walks allowed on 68 pitches.

Junior Varsity

Creston’s Nathan Pudenz roped a two-run single in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game against Red Oak. Pudenz advanced to second on an error by the Tigers’ left fielder. The next pitched sailed over the catcher’s head allowing Pudenz to reach third. On the very next pitch, Pudenz scored on a ball that bounced to the backstop, giving the Panthers a walk-off victory.

Creston 11, Red Oak 9

RHE

RO1013400—981

Cr006050x—11142

RO: Asher Hinshaw 3K 5BB, Ryan Messinger (3) 0K 0BB, Dillon Burns 0K 4BB and Isaac Bower. Cr: Cody Crawford 4K 4BB, Jack Frey (4) 1K 0BB, Dustin Merritt 4K 0BB and Jaden Driskell. W — Merritt (2-0). L— Messinger. HR — Cr: Kadon Hulett 1. 3B — none. 2B — RO: Carter Bruce 1, Carlos Guerra 1. Cr: Crawford 1, Driskell 1. RBI — RO: Bruce 4, Isaac Bower 1, Guera 1, Messinger 1, Cam Vanderhoof 1. Cr: Hulett 4, Michael Scherer 2, Brenden McDowell 1, Crawford 1, Driskell 1. Multiple hitters — RO: Bruce 2, Messinger 2, Vanderhoof 2. Cr: Merritt 3, Scherer 2, McDowell 2, Driskell 2, Hulett 2.