Staff report
Greenfield-Central’s baseball team, under first-year head coach Mitch Gibson, is off to a 2-1 start.
During the first week of the season last week, the Cougars opened with a 12-2 victory at Frankton Wednesday.
The Cougars went 1-1 at the Beech Grove Spring Invitational, losing 3-0 to Perry Meridian Friday and defeating the host Hornets 28-2 Saturday.
In the six-inning victory over Frankton, four pitchers threw with Landon Brooks picking up the victory. He fanned three in two innings. Parker Rhodes struck out the side in his one inning of work. Freshman Gavin Markus fanned three in two innings and Kaden Snodgrass also struck out three in an inning.
Offensively, the Cougars had 12 hits and scored in five of six frames.
Rhodes and Markus had three RBI each. Both hit triples. Karson Gantt had two hits, two RBI and a double.
Along with Gantt, Rhodes, Brady Johnson and Jacob Welch each had two hits. Johnson scored three runs and stole two bases. Welch also drove in two and added a pair of stolen bases.
In the 3-0 loss to the Falcons, Rhodes went five innings and struck out eight. He gave up three hits and three earned runs.
The Cougars out-hit the Falcons, six to three. Markus and Cooper Safford each had two hits. Johnson and Kyle Oden also had hits.
In the win over Beech Grove, the Cougars exploded for 16 third-inning runs.
Oden had three hits, five RBI and G-C’s first home run of the season.
The home run was the only extra-base hit in the Cougars’ 15-hit attack.
Johnson had three hits and four RBI. Brooks and Ethan Ortwein each drove in three runs. Safford and Zander Cobb both had two RBI.
Safford and Luke Sitzman had two-hit games. Cobb scored four runs.
On the mound, Brooks got his second win, going 2.2 innings, fanning five and giving up just two hits. Liam Flanagan threw 2.1 innings of relief and had one strikeout.
Greenfield-Central is scheduled to begin Hoosier Heritage Conference play 6 p.m. Tuesday with the home opener at Molinder Field against New Castle.
