BlueSox secure twinbill sweep

July 12, 2017 Last Updated: July 12, 2017 10:54 AM High School

Meeker, Coward, shut down Chillicothe; Butler takes over 2nd place

James Meeker has a been a pretty good hitter for Butler this season.

Turns out he's a pretty darn good pitcher, too.

Meeker, a third baseman who's hitting .303 this season, made his first start on the mound for the BlueSox in the first game of a doubleheader Tuesday night against Chillicothe.

He gave up just one unearned run and scattered seven hits over 6 1/3 innings to lead Butler to a 3-1 win.

Seneca Valley graduate and Virginia Tech junior Connor Coward struck out 11 in a seven-inning complete-game effort in the nightcap, a 4-2 win, to complete the sweep over the Paints.

“Whenever I first got the job, obviously I hear of Meeker because he's from (North Allegheny),” said Butler manager Cody Herald. “I was talking back and forth with (Matt) Clement and he asked me if I knew anything about Meeker. He said he's actually a really good pitcher.

“Their coach up there (at the University of Delaware) wants him to be a pitcher up there,” Herald added. “So, we gave him a spot start.”

Meeker threw strikes — a lot of them. He didn't walk a batter and struck out three.”

“(Pitching coach Josh Forbes) and I talked about me making a start Saturday,” Meeker said. “Seeing we had a doubleheader, we needed a spot start. I was looking forward to it.”

Meeker had worked 11 2/3 innings in relief this season before his start. It was his first win.

Butler got all the runs it would need for Meeker in the first two innings, taking a 2-0 lead on a bases-loaded walk in the first by Patrick Ferguson and a singled by Brady Gulakowski.

The BlueSox padded their lead with a run in the bottom of the fourth on an unearned run.

In the second game, Coward was masterful.

He struck out at least one batter in every inning but the second. His only trouble came in the fourth when he walked his only batter of the game and gave up a pair of doubles as Chillicothe rallied to tie the game at 2-2.

After that, Coward struck out five in the final two innings to get the win.

“It's funny because Forbes and I were sitting there just talking and wondering how (Coward) is not at a higher level right now,” Herald said. “I don't know how, but you know what, I'm happy that he's here.”

Coward is now 3-0 with a 1.63 ERA in 22 innings pitched this season. He's fanned 33 and walked just four.

“His work ethic is ridiculous,” Herald said. “He's one of those kids who comes every day, puts in the work, does everything at 100 percent and everything that he does is right.”

It was also a big day for Ferguson.

His laser shot over the right-field fence in the bottom of fifth inning gave Butler a 3-2 lead. The home run was his 11th of the season, tying David Marcus' team record.

“It's not just him — we've had other guys start hitting home runs more,” Herald said. “Pat's one of those guys who in a tie game, everyone in the stadium hopes he gets up because that's what he does.”

With the sweep, Butler moved to 20-17 and in second place, two games behind Prospect League East Division leader Champion City.

“It's a long season,” Herald said. “We just want to hang around and stay in it. Teams are going to get hot and teams are going to get cold.”

Game 1

Chillicothe 001 000 0 — 1 7 2

Butler 110 100 x — 3 5 1

W: James Meeker 6.1IP (3K, 0BB). L: Nick Kamrada 4IP (3K, 5BB). SV: Jack Herzing 0.2IP (0K, 0BB)

Chillicothe: Dallas Hall 2B 1B, Chad Roberts 2-1B, Tanner Piechnick 2-1B, Peyton Newsome 2B

Butler: Tanner Murphy 1B, Brady Gulakowski 1B RBI, Calvin Scott 2B RBI, Rey Gonzalez 1B, Patrick Ferguson 1B RBI, Ben Carew RBI

Game 2

Chillicothe 000 200 0 — 2 5 1

Butler 002 020 x — 4 6 1

W: Connor Coward 7IP (11K, 1BB). L: Evan McAndrew 5IP (4K, 0BB).