BY JUSTIN MASKULINSKI
News and Tribune
JEFFERSONVILLE
Gabe Bierman pitched a complete game and led Jeffersonville to a 7-0 win against visiting Seymour on Thursday at Don Poole Field.
A junior Indiana University commit, Bierman struck out 15, walked one and allowed five hits in his seven innings on the mound.
“My stuff was working,” he said. “I had my cutter all over the plate, pulling hitters over and striking them out. I guess it was a pretty good day.”
Jeffersonville (2-3) coach Derek Ellis said Bierman was ready to pitch again after a hard-fought 5-1 loss to rival Floyd Central on April 4.
Seymour (3-4) didn’t get the win, but it had two bright spots in the lineup.
Alan Perry and Tyler Bloom were both 2-for-3 against Bierman, who was stingy on the mound.
“(Bloom) showed up,” Seymour coach Jeremy Richey said. “We just have to put more together. We had five hits tonight. Alan had two in the leadoff spot and Tyler had two in the five spot. We have to be better against good pitchers.”
The hosts took control in the bottom of the second.
Nick Grider, Hunter Schmitz, Michael Minton and Bennie Day touched home in the inning that saw Jeffersonville take a 4-0 lead. Minton and Drew Taylor each had RBI hits in the second.
Taylor was 3-for-3 on the night.
The Owls had a chance to respond in the top of the third but failed to score.
Tiller Cummings led off with a singled and was joined by Perry on base. The runners moved to second and third base on a throwing error from Jeffersonville’s catcher.
Cummings tried to take home on a wild pitch but was tagged out at home by Bierman.
“I didn’t think we were aggressive early,” Richey said. “We were aggressive late, but when you let a kid like (Bierma) get in a rhythm, he’s going to be tough to beat.”
Jeffersonville went down in order in the bottom of the third.
Bloom singled with two outs in the top of the fourth but was stranded. The Owls left four runners on base in the game.
The hosts’ lead grew in the bottom of the sixth.
The first five Jeffersonville batters reached safely as the Devils extended their lead to 7-0. The Owls held off the barrage early, forcing out Day and Taylor at third.
The latter of the two outs came after a nice defensive stop at third from the Owls’ RJ Kleber.
Ethan English’s RBI single to left scored Jack Ellis. Bailey Falkenstein scored on a wild pitch and English made it 7-0 on a passed ball.
Perry led off the sixth with a hit, advanced to third after an error and a passed ball, but the three Owls that followed him all struck out.
Owls starting pitcher Satoshi Hirose went five innings in the loss. He allowed 10 hits, walked two and struck out one.