The first week of the 2021 baseball season was good to the Northmor Golden Knights.
Buck Workman’s squad is undefeated with a 4-0 record following a sweep of a doubleheader on opening day and victories over local rivals Buckeye Central and Bucyrus.
The Golden Knights dominated Mansfield Senior in the opening day twinbill on March 27, winning 11-1 in six innings and 12-1 in six innings. In game one, Northmor plated five runs in the first inning, then followed up with three more runs in the third and one in the fourth inning to build a 10-0 lead. The Tygers pulled back their lone run of the game in the top of the sixth inning, but the Golden Knights closed out the game with their final run in the home half of the inning.
Marcus Cortez went 3-for-3 with three RBI and scored a run to pace the Northmor offense. Matthew Kearns was 2-for-3 with two RBI and scored twice. Andrew Amrose went 2-for-3, drove in one run and scored a run. Bohdi Workman came off the bench to record a hit and two RBI.
Max Lower had a hit and drove in a run. Griffin Workman recorded an RBI on a sacrifice. Drew Hammond and Pierce Lower each had a hit.
Grant Bentley was the starting pitcher and picked up the win. He recorded 10 strikeouts in four innings of work. He walked three batters and gave up one hit.
In the second game, Jack Sears and Drew Hammon combined to pitch a two-hitter for Northmor. Sears started and pitched five innings, recording seven strikeouts and two walks. He gave up one run on two hits.
Hammond came on in the sixth to finish off the game. He recorded two strikeouts and a walk.
Cortez went 3-for-3 for the second straight game, driving in two runs and scoring two runs. Bentley went 2-for-2, scored a run and drove in a run. Garrett Corwin was 2-for-4 with two RBI and scored a run.
Max Lower, Matthew Kearns, Gavin Whited, and Pierce Lower each drove in a run.
The big inning came in the third when the Golden Knights pushed seven runs across the plate to build what turned out to be an insurmountable advantage.
Northmor 7, Buckeye Central 3
Northmor jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the third inning and then scored four more runs over the final three innings to defeat Buckeye Central 7-3 on Monday.
Drew Hammond picked up the win, giving up two runs (one earned) on four hits in six innings of work. He recorded eight strikeouts and one walk.
Matthew Kearns pitched the seventh inning and gave up an unearned run. He issued one walk.
At bat, Kearns went 3-for-4 with an RBI and scored a run. Pierce Lower was 2-for-4, scored a run and drove in a run. Garrett Corwin went 1-for-4, scored two runs and had an RBI.
Max Lower, Griffin Workman, and Grant Bentley each had an RBI.
Northmor 12, Bucyrus 1
The Golden Knights scored 12 runs in the first four innings en route to a 12-1 victory over Bucyrus in five innings.
Griffin Workman went 3-for-4 and scored twice. Max Lower went 2-for-4 and scored two runs. Pierce Lower went 1-for-2 and scored three runs. Preston Harbolt went 1-for-3 with three RBI. Grant Bentley went 1-for-1, scored twice and drove in a run.
Jack Sears pitched four scoreless innings to earn the win. He recorded five strikeouts and a walk. He gave up one hit.
Griffin Workman worked one inning, giving up a run on one hit. He had one strikeout and one walk.
Upcoming schedule
Northmor opens Knox-Morrow Athletic Conference play on Monday at Centerburg. The Golden Knights play host to the Trojans on Wednesday.
Northmor rounds out the week with home games against Mount Gilead on Friday and against Crestline on Saturday.
