Fort Frye’s Jack McCurdy (2) sprints to third base as Waterford’s Zavier Heiss awaits a throw during Friday’s game in Beverly. (Photo by Mike Morrison)
<!–
BEVERLY — Make no mistake about it — Grady Hesson is the ace of the Fort Frye pitching staff.
The sophomore right hander continued his outstanding season Friday night by tossing a two-hitter and fanning 12 batters in Fort Frye’s 9-1 win over arch-rival Waterford.
The Cadets offense handed Hesson an early lead and that was all that he would need as he won for the sixth time in eight decisions.
“He was so good and even when he got a little wild he was able to limit the damage,” said Fort Frye head coach Trey Engle of Hesson. “I can’t say enough great things about the kind of year he is having.”
Hesson breezed through the first three innings as he retired the first nine Wildcat hitters he faced, six of them coming via the strikeout.
The Cadets left the bases loaded in the opening frame against Waterford starting pitcher Corbin Stark before scratching out a run in the bottom of the second.
Catcher Wyatt Duskey reached base on an error and came around to score when Jack McCurdy’s fly ball to deep center field was misplayed for a triple.
The Wildcats wouldn’t help their own cause at all as they made six errors in the game.
Fort Frye went right back to work in the bottom of the third as they batted around to score four times.
Kainan Bradford walked to begin the inning and later scored on a single by first baseman Zander Lowe.
One out later Wade Duskey reached on an error and Chatum Courson beat out a bunt and when the throw to first sailed down the right field line, two more runners crossed the plate.
Freshman third baseman Caden Henniger capped the scoring with an RBI single.
Possibly the lengthy inning took a bit of a toll on Hesson as he would have to battle some wildness in the top of the fourth.
After using just 28 pitches over the first three innings to dispose of the Wildcats, Hesson walked the first three hitters he faced in the fourth.
Hesson was able to minimize the damage however when he retired Braun Doak on a fly ball to center that scored the only run of the game for Waterford before striking out the final two hitters to end the inning.
“Last year he was kind of put in this role unexpectedly and this year he has decided it was his role,” said Engle of his ace. “He’s kind of our go-to-guy and he has been outstanding all year long.”
Fort Frye added a single run in the fourth when Bradford doubled to deep right center field and came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Clayton Miller.
Hesson helped his own cause with a run-scoring in the bottom of the fifth.
After not allowing a hit over the first four and two thirds innings, Cam Johnson singled up the middle in the fifth inning for Waterford to break up the no-hitter.
Fort Frye added two more unearned runs in the last of the sixth and Hesson retired the side in order in the seventh to secure the win for the Fort as they improved to 11-7 on the season.
With Hesson accounting for 12 of the Cadets 21 outs with strikeouts, the Fort Frye defense only needed to make nine plays in the game and they did so flawlessly.
“That is one thing that we have always taught and the kids take great pride in is playing great defense,” said Engle. “It helps a lot….it gives the pitcher confidence and allows him to throw the ball across the plate when he knows they will make the plays for him.”
McCurdy, Bradford and Lowe each accounted for two base hits apiece for the winners while Doak stroked a double in the sixth inning for the other Waterford hit.
Waterford slipped to 12-8 on the season with the loss.
Both teams will be back in action on Monday with the Wildcats traveling to Shenandoah while The Cadets host Belpre.
发表回复