Jamir Ross dives back to first base as Lane Coulter prepares to take the throw from pitcher Stevie Doty.
Ron Nunnari | Register-Herald
KETTERING — Northmont’s varsity baseball team opened conference play Thursday with a 6-1 loss to Fairmont and on Friday at home saw the Firebirds walk away with another 6-1 victory.
Thursday at Fairmont the Firebirds scored all six of their runs in the second inning on two-run single by Carter Decker, a single by Gabe Ledbetter and a double by Asa Dunlevey, who had three RBIs.
Northmont got its lone run in the top of the third.
Lane Coulter earned the victory for Fairmont. He pitched five innings scattering four hits with one earned run and five strike outs.
Nathan Schommer, A.J. Conti, Christian Pendleton, Nathan Teller, and Jamir Ross had one hit each for the Thunderbolts.
Drew Carver was Northmont’s starting pitcher allowing six hits, one walk and six runs over two and a third innings. Connor Price pitched three and two-thirds innings in relief.
Fairmont had nine hits. Skyler Slifer and Collin Zent went 2-for-3 for the Firebirds.
Friday at Northmont the Firebirds posted another 6-1 victory. With the game tied 1-1 Fairmont got two runs in the top of fifth, two in the sixth and one in the seventh to secure the win.
Stevie Doty led Fairmont with four hits in four at bats, stole a base, scored twice with a double and one RBI. Logan Adams went 1-for-4 with three RBIs. Dunlevey went 1-for-1 with one run and one RBI. Ledbetter went 1-for-5 with two runs. Slifer went 1-for-4 with two steals.
Doty earned the victory. He pitched five innings, surrendered three hits with one earned run, three walks and struck out eight.
Fairmont improved to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in conference play while Northmont fell to 3-4 overall and 0-2 in conference play.
After scoring 51 runs in five games in Florida, the Thunderbolts have only generated two runs since returning to Ohio.
“We went down south and won three in a row and then two close games back-to-back,” said Northmont coach Brandon Rexin. “Timely hitting is probably where we are struggling right now. We are putting the bat on the ball, which is what we want to see out of our guys, but it’s not coming at the right time. We hit into our fair share of double plays and that is not going to do it for us.”
Reach Ron Nunnari at [email protected].
