For The Tribune
BROWNSTOWN
Brownstown Central used solid pitching in the first game and timely hitting in the second game to sweep Paoli 6-0 and 13-3 in six innings in varsity baseball action on Saturday.
Austin Green threw the first five innings, Ty Maxie finished up the opener and they combined to strike out six and walk one and allow two hits.
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The Braves took a 1-0 lead in the first, then took command of the game with four runs in the third.
Zach McCory started the third inning with a walk. Cole Brock, Green and Devin Stuckwisch hit singles, and Cody Williams and Carson Lambring drew bases-loaded walks.
Brock had three hits, Stuckwisch had two hits, and Sy Zickler had a double as the Braves had 10 hits in this game.
“It was just a good day all around,” Braves coach John Lawson said. “We hit the ball well. We had some guys that had been hitting the ball well that were the ones that struggled the most in the first game, and then they came back and struck the ball better in the second game.
“Pitching was good today. They stayed ahead of the hitters most of the day. We got a little unfortunate in the second game there. We had a ball down the line that hit a base, and it came in the inning where they scored a couple of runs.”
Paoli’s Ashton Minton hit a ball that struck first base and bounced over Tyler Lawson’s head for a double, and the Rams used that break to score two runs in the inning.
The Braves bounced back with three runs in the bottom of the inning with Brock and Martin driving in runs with hits, and Stuckwisch had a sacrifice fly.
Maxie singled and scored on a single by Zickler in the third. The Braves sent 10 batters to the plate in the fourth and came up with four hits and two walks to score five runs. Maxie had a two-run single in the inning.
Lambring and Brock had RBI singles in the fourth, Matt Garland hit into a fielder’s choice to drive in a run in the fifth, and Lawson singled to drive in the final run in the sixth.
The Braves had 15 hits this game with Lambring, Maxie, Green, Brock and Zickler getting two apiece. Maxie, Zickler and Green hits doubles. Brock had three RBI and scored three runs, and Maxie scored three runs and had two RBI.
Williams pitched the first three innings and Zickler threw the last three. They combined for seven strike outs and two walks.
The Braves committed one error each game.
“We played good defense, had good at bats, and good pitching,” coach Lawson said. The Braves had 25 hits and only walked three batters for the day.
“When you don’t walk them you definitely increase your odds of outscoring them,” Lawson said. “It was a good day. Another thing I’m glad about, everybody got in to contribute that has a uniform on.”
The Braves have won three in a row and are 4-2 for the season.
“I thought we were a little bit flat the Providence and Seymour games,” Lawson said. “We’re starting to come into it a little bit. I think we’re deep enough that we can be stronger than what we showed Thursday or (Saturday). Everything is going the right direction. I hope we can keep it that way.
“We changed things up in practice and tried to have a little fun, and do some situational hitting and stuff. They responded pretty well to that. A lot of guys stood out today.”
The Braves will play Salem today for a conference game.