With the bases loaded in the fourth inning Jaden Richard hit a line drive to center that went through the legs of Owen Buck.
He circled the bases in a 5-run 4th inning that was exemplified the day the Nokomis defense had. The Ponies won 14-1 in six innings in a seven-error day for the Warriors’ defense.
Richard started the day on the mound and took a perfect game into the fourth inning with the support of excellent defense behind him.
After an infield single and a dropped third strike allowed the first two batters to get on in the 5th Richard handed the ball to Calvin Landry. Grady Hartsgrove scored on a Sac Fly from Ashton Howell to give Richard the win in 4 innings with 3 strikeouts and only 2 hits.
Richard then moved to shortstop and flashed some leather of his own.
It included a great catch to end the game.
Richard finished 1-4 with a triple, walk, strikeout, 3 RBI, and a run scored to earn Player of the Game honors. He also dropped his ERA to 2.51 in 22.1 innings pitched on the season.
The Ponies tallied 11 hits on the day. Lucas Sands was 3-5 with 2 doubles, reaching on error, a strikeout, 3 RBI and a run scored.
Silas Topolski was 1-1 on the day with 3 walks, 3 runs scored and an RBI from the nine spot in the lineup. Right behind him at the leadoff spot Jack Day was 2-3, a walk, hit by pitch, a strikeout, 1 RBI and 3 runs scored. Calvin Ridley closed out the final two innings, allowing an inherited runner to score, but that was it with only one hit and two walks. Ridley now has a 0.82 ERA in 17 innings pitched for the season.
Jacob Neumayer started for Nokomis came in with a 2.33 ERA in 15 innings pitched but struggled to deliver strikes. In 3.33 innings he hit 3 batters, threw 2 wild pitches, walked 3, gave up 4 hits while striking out 4; 3 of them in the first inning. He allowed nine runs but only five of them were earned. Ashton Howell pitched the other 2.66 innings and gave up five hits with 2 walks while striking out 1. He allowed 5 runs but only 3 of them were earned. On the season the Nokomis pitching staff has allowed 34 earned runs but 78 runs in 80 innings pitched.
Foxcroft Academy moves to 6-5 and will host Nokomis on Thursday.
Nokomis falls to 6-6 and will travel to Foxcroft Acadmey on Thursday.
Watch full game: https://centralmainesports.com/5-16-2023-foxcroft-academy-at-nokomis-baseball/
