Baseball Recap: Hamilton Southeastern Comes Up Short

Hamilton Southeastern extended their losing streak to five on Thursday, dropping their season record down to 4-10 in the process. They were a single run away from ending the streak, but they lost a 10-9 heartbreaker at the hands of the Avon Orioles. The home team had taken home the W every time these teams have met since April 20, 2022, but that streak is no more.

Hamilton Southeastern got a good showing from Josh Lesniewksi, who pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits. That's the first time Lesniewksi hasn't allowed a single earned run over his last four contests.

At the plate, Trey McManama made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and went 1-for-3 with one home run and four RBI. He also put up a run, which was his first of the season. Clark Bucher was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two runs and one double.

As for Avon, the win (which was their eighth in a row) raised their record to 11-2. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.9 runs on average over those games.

On Avon's side, Nolan Hataway looked comfortable as he struck out seven batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Hataway has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in five consecutive appearances.

On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Brayden Salyer, who went 1-for-3 with one triple, one run, and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Xavier Esslinger, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI and one run.

Looking ahead, Hamilton Southeastern will square off against Lapel at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. The Royals' pitchers better be ready for this one: the Bulldogs have averaged an impressive 10.9 runs per game this season. As for Avon, they will be playing at home against Ben Davis at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday.