Mowery, Saxonburg roll in win
FAIRVIEW — Tuesday's Butler County Area Baseball League game between Saxonburg and Karns City included just one swing of momentum.
Travis Mowery made sure of it.
Given a lead before he stepped on the mound, Saxonburg's southpaw struck out seven and scattered six hits to earn the win in an 11-0 decision in six innings.
“I loved what I saw out of him tonight,” said Saxonburg player/manager Ben McMillen. “He did what we expected him to do and trusted his defense.”
With the outcome already decided, that defense preserved Mowery's shutout when, with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, center fielder Ethan Sloane made a diving catch on a ball hit by Karns City's Luke Whitcomb. The ball was headed toward the right-center gap and would have easily scored Zach Blair from second base.
“Ethan made that type of play all spring (for Knoch's high school team),” said Mowery. “I always appreciate the defensive plays made behind me.
“I threw a lot of fastballs tonight. They were really behind on it.”
KC starter Reice Saylor allowed three runs over the first two innings. Included was Isaac Love's two-run base hit in the second. Tye Elder came on in relief, stranded runners at second and third and appeared headed for a quiet third frame when Saxonburg hit the hosts with a bolt of two-out lightning.
A hit-by-pitch and walk opened the door for Blaze Voltz, Mowery and Sloane. Mowery knocked in two runs with a single while the other two managed run-scoring base hits. Another tally came home on an error and Karns City found itself down 8-0.
“We started off slow with the bats this season,” said McMillen, “but I like what I've seen over the last week and a half. We talk about getting on top of the other team's pitchers and staying on top.”
Before the end of the third, KC manager Lane Larimore had brought in his second reliever, Ty Belles. He used a fourth in Whitcomb before the end of the game.
Larimore had to think about the rest of the week. His team plays four games in the next four days.
“There is no pitch-count rule in this league, but we try to follow the one in place in high school,” he said. “We're not going to let a kid throw his arm out.”
Karns City (2-9) received back-to-back singles with two outs from Tyler Yough and Broc Weigle in the bottom of the third, but Mowery stranded them at first and third.
Yough had three of KC's six hits. He and Blair both doubled.
“We didn't hit the ball all that well today,” said Larimore. “In our first game this season, we had 17 hits. Everybody takes their turn with a good night, but we just can't get it all at once.”
Saxonburg improved to 4-4 with the win.
Saxonburg 125 102 x — 11 10 0
Karns City 000 000 x — 0 6 3
W: Travis Mowery 6 IP (7K, 3BB). L: Reice Saylor 1.2 IP (1K, 4BB).
Saxonburg (4-4): Ethan Sloane 1B R RBI, Isaac Love 1B R 2RBI, Braden Tristani 2B R, Ben McMillen 2-1B 2RBI, Blaze Voltz 1B R RBI, Travis Mowery 2-1B 2RBI, Dathan Gillis 2-1B 2R
Karns City (2-9): Tyler Yough 2-1B 2B, Broc Weigle 1B, Zach Blair 2B, Luke Whitcomb 1B
Wednesday: Center Township at Karns City; Saxonburg at Freeport
