NEW WASHINGTON — Pitchers took center stage in the first meeting of 2021 between Northern 10 Athletic Conference rivals Colonel Crawford and Buckeye Central.
Eagles senior Drayton Burkhart outdueled Bucks junior Alex Kanney to help Colonel Crawford earn a 2-1 win on Wednesday in New Washington.
Burkhart followed up a 14-strikeout performance in the season-opening win over Old Fort last Saturday with 10 strikeouts while pitching a complete game against the Bucks. He walked one batter and gave up just three hits. The Bucks lone run was earned.
Kanney also went the distance, recording eight strikeouts and no walks. He surrendered seven hits and both runs the Eagles scored were earned.
Colonel Crawford (3-0, 1-0 N10) opened the scoring in the top of the fourth inning when Cade Hamilton tripled to center field. Carson Feichtner singled to left field to drive in Hamilton and give the Eagles a 1-0 lead.
The Eagles doubled their advantage in the top of the sixth inning, taking a 2-0 lead when Nolan McKibben scored on another single to left field by Feichtner.
Buckeye Central (0-4, 0-1 N10) attempted to rally in the home half of the sixth inning. Kanney helped his own cause with a two-out double to left field and then scored on a double to right field by Graham Geissman that cut the Eagles lead to 2-1. The Bucks put a second runner on base after Burkhart walked Elliot Geissman.
However, Burkhart induced a ground ball to third base for the final out of the inning to keep the Eagles slim lead intact.
Burkhart retired three of the four batters he faced in the bottom of the seventh inning to close out the game. He recorded two strikeouts and a got a ground-out to shut down the Bucks.
Feichtner led the Eagles with two hits. McKibben, Cade Hamilton, Burkhart, Caleb Lohr, and Brennan Hamilton each had one hit.
Casey Geissman had two hits to lead the Bucks and Kanney recorded their only other hit.
The two teams will meet again on Saturday at Marion Althouse Field in North Robinson. The game was originally scheduled for Thursday, but was rescheduled due to the cold front moving into the area that is expected to bring snow and high temperatures around 32 degrees.
