The Van Wert County Courthouse

Thursday, Mar. 28, 2024

Carter leads Lancers past Crestview

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

Lincolnview’s Gavin Carter turned in a dominating performance against Crestview on Wednesday.

The junior pitched a complete game three hitter with eight strikeouts, and he drove in three runs on two hits, including an inside the park home run as the Lancers defeated the Knights 9-2.

“Gavin had a great outing for us and he had great command tonight,” Lincolnview head coach Eric Fishpaw.

Lincolnview (18-2, 6-0 NWC) broke a 1-1 tie with a six run second inning, all with two outs. Jaden Youtsey doubled in Collin Overholt, then Youtsey scored on an RBI single by Ethan Kemler to give the Lancers a 3-1 lead. A grounder by Brayden Evans plated Creed Jessee, then Carter electrified the crowd with his inside the park homer to right field, scoring Kemler and Evans.

Lincolnview’s Cole Binkley tries to beat the throw to Crestview catcher Korbin Hartman. Binkley was called out on the play, but the Lancers won 9-2. Wyatt Richardson/Van Wert independent

“The six run inning was huge,” Fishpaw said. “Gavin’s home run helped separate the lead.”

“The sign of a great veteran team is to apply pressure to your opponent and exploit opportunities,” Crestview head coach Jim Wharton said. “Lincolnview did just that in the second inning, scoring six runs with two outs. Allowing a pitcher of Gavin’s magnitude to have a sizable lead makes it extremely difficult to overcome.”

Crestview’s Griffin Painter singled and Brant Richardson walked to start the fourth, but the Lancers turned a double play, then Carter induced a ground ball out to end the inning.

“The play of the game was the 6-4-3 double play that stopped Crestview’s scoring threat,” Fishpaw said. “It was a big time play by Overholt laying out for the ball.”

The score remained 7-1 until the bottom of the sixth, when Clayton Leeth and Evans scored on a wild pitch. Crestview (8-12, 5-2 NWC) added a run in the top of the seventh, when Logan Gerardot singled in Kaden Short.

Lincolnview’s first run came in the bottom of the first, when Overholt scored on an RBI single by Jessee. Crestview answered in the top of the second when Kole Small scored on an error.

Carter, Youtsey, Kemler and Evans each had two hits for Lincolnview, while Gerardot, Painter and Korbin Hartman accounted for Crestview’s three hits.

Small pitched four innings for the Knights, allowing seven runs on 11 hits while striking out four and walking four. Riley Saylor went two innings and gave up two runs on one hit, fanning two and walking two.

Crestview’s next scheduled game is against Perry in the Division IV sectional semifinals on Tuesday, May 14. Lincolnview is scheduled to play at Paulding today. Both teams are undefeated in NWC play.

“Paulding is a good team with good pitching and an outstanding catcher in Hunter Kauser,” Fishpaw said. “We look forward to the challenge and achieving the goals we set back in early March.”

Knights 010 000 1 – 2
Lancers 160 002 x – 9

Crestview (ab-r-h-rbi): Riley Saylor 4-0-0-0; Griffin Painter 4-0-1-0; Brant Richardson 1-0-0-0; Korbin Hartman 3-0-1-0; Kole Small 3-1-0-0; Trever Sheets 3-0-0-0; Kaden Short 1-1-0-0; Brody Brecht 2-0-0-0; Jacob Forwerck 2-0-0-0; Logan Gerardot 1-0-1-1

Pitching (ip-h-r-so-bb): Kole Small 4.0, 11-7-4-4; Riley Saylor 2.0, 1-2-2-2

Lincolnview (ab-r-h-rbi): Collin Overholt 3-2-1-0; Jaden Youtsey 4-1-2-1; Creed Jessee 3-1-1-1; Ethan Kemler 2-1-2-1; Brayden Evans 3-2-2-1; Gavin Carter 3-1-2-3; Cole Binkley 3-0-1-0; Braxton Fox 3-0-0-0; Thad Walker 2-0-0-0; Clayton Leeth 0-1-0-0

Pitching (ip-h-r-so-bb): Gavin Carter 7.0, 3-2-8-4

POSTED: 05/08/19 at 7:48 pm. FILED UNDER: Sports