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MiddletownJournal.com

Middies fall to 6-13 with loss to Hamilton

HAMILTON — Hamilton High's baseball losing streak ended at three Monday, though it was hardly an emphatic statement by Big Blue.

HHS committed three errors in the last two innings and held off visiting Middletown 3-2 at Stang Field, with Corey Sams coming on to record the final two outs and strand two Middies on base in the seventh.

Sams saved the victory for classmate Jason Parsons, a righty who allowed just two hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Hamilton kept their Greater Miami Conference title hopes alive by improving to 16-6 overall and 10-6 in the GMC.

Middletown skidded to 6-13, 5-12, with yet another close-but-no-cigar performance.

"It's Murphy's Law for us this year — that was a microcosm of our whole season right there," Middie coach Mark Kerns said. "It's so frustrating for everybody involved. We just can't catch a break. Sometimes we don't deserve one, but getting breaks should be a 50-50 thing, and we aren't getting any."

A prime example of Middletown's roller-coaster ride was the sixth inning, which the visitors entered on the back end of a 3-0 score.

With runners on first and third Matt Brandabur came to the plate.

With the count 0-1, Brandabur took a wild swing at a very outside pitch as Meiser took off for second base. He beat the throw from Monnin, the HHS catcher.

But the home-plate umpire called Meiser out, ruling that Brandabur was guilty of batter interference.

"Unbelievable — it's the first time I've ever seen that call," Mark Kerns said. "It's a hit-and-run, (Brandabur) is trying to protect the runner, and he's swinging at an outside pitch. It's not like he intentionally stepped in front of the catcher. The umpire said he stepped across home plate. My feeling is, 'So be it. He didn't step on the plate, and he was swinging the bat.' And it didn't look like he affected the throw."

The two teams will square off at Middletown Wednesday at 3 p.m. If the Middies win their Division I sectional opener against Winton Woods, they'll advance to face Hamilton again.

Trace Fowler had two hits for Big Blue, who host Kings tonight.

Middletown 000 002 0 — 2 2 2

Hamilton 021 000 x — 3 5 3

WP — Jason Parsons (2-1); LP — Matt Brandabur (0-4); S — Corey Sams (2)

Contact this reporter at (513)

820-2194

or

rcassano

@coxohio.com.