Jesse Clark
After playing some of the state’s top baseball teams during a five-game losing streak, Columbus North was hungry for a bounce-back game when they returned home Tuesday.
The Bull Dogs pounded out 12 hits, and Franko Ortega and Dillon Long combined on a two-hitter to lead North to a 5-1 win against Franklin Central.
“It was all the guys, some people breaking out of slumps,” junior third baseman Jesse Clark said. “It feels really good to have a turnaround game.”
Clark went 3 for 3 with two RBIs to lead the hitting attack for the Bull Dogs (4-6).
“It was nice to get the bats going,” North coach Mike Bodart said. “We got here early today and started getting come cuts in. The guys were feeling good, so it was good to get the hits.”
Bodart was just as pleased with the pitching performance. Ortega allowed two hits and one unearned run in four innings, and Long closed with three no-hit, shutout innings.
That pitching, and some big defensive plays helped the Bull Dogs overcome four errors. The game ended when first baseman Lane Schrader caught a line drive in the seventh and doubled a Flashes runner off first.
“I think we played more as a team tonight,” Clark said. “We had each others’ backs. When we made errors, we picked each other up and made some big plays. Lane over at first with the double play to end the game was huge after my error over here (at third base).”
Clark, who played second base last year, has been at third this season, while Joey Fry, who started at third the past two years, has settled in at second. Freshman Jack Whaley, who began the season at second base, has moved to shortstop, with Brock Kintner moving from short to back center field where he played last year and Macario Mendez moving from center to left field.
“We just felt it was time to get (Kintner) back to his natural position, and getting Jack over to short,” Bodart said. “Jesse played an awesome second base last year, but he’s done a phenomenal job at third base, so we’re liking what he’s got going on, and Joey has turned into our second baseman. Being a pitcher, we’re trying to save his arm, so we did some moving around.”
Kintner went 2 for 4 with two RBIs Tuesday. Whaley went 2 for 4 with a pair of triples.
“It’s always good to break out of a losing streak,” Bodart said. “The competition we’ve been playing the last week with (Class 4A No. 1) Center Grove and (3A No. 2) Andrean and (4A No. 2) Lake Central, they’re some of the best teams in the state right there, and we’re learning from it and we’re getting better and guys are getting closer and bonding better. It’s just about trusting and believing in each other.”
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