WASHBURN THROWS SIX SHUTOUT INNINGS

Jace Washburn threw six shutout innings, allowing just two hits, and was 3-for-3 with a run batted in at the plate in a 7-0 win over Clarksville Monday afternoon at the Billy Kiersey Baseball/Softball Complex.

Dax Goff and David Hicks also both had two hit and two RBI days with Goff hitting his fifth home run of the season and 10th of his career.

Washburn (1-0), whose three previous outings had all come in relief, walked just two during an economical 83-pitch outing.

Clarksville had somewhat of a threat in the opening inning when a hitter reached on an error with two down and another followed with a single. Washburn (shown in a previous outing) recorded one of his five strikeouts to end the inning.

In the bottom of the first Rhett Nietert drew a walk and came around on Goff’s opposite field home run to right and it was 2-0.

Goff hit two home runs as a freshman and three last year.

The Bearcats (5-4) tacked on another run in the inning when Peyton Tatum drew another walk and stole second and Washburn drove him in with his first hit of the day.

Washburn put himself in a little bit of a tight sport in the second with a pair of two-out walks but got a fly ball to end the inning and Clarksville did not have more than one baserunner in an inning the rest of the day.

Matt O’Bar doubled leading off the bottom of the second but was erased trying to steal third and the Bearcats came away empty, but the Bearcats would extend the lead in the third.

In the home half of the third Goff beat out an infield single and, with one down, stole second then scored on a single by Dunn Daniel. Consecutive singles by Washburn and O’Bar filled the bases and a fly ball by Hicks got a second run to make it 5-0.

Washburn tapped a slow roller to second for an infield single in the fifth. He moved to second on a throwing error – the Panthers committed three – and scored on a two-out single by Hicks to make it 6-0.

Brooks Herrera led off the Bearcat sixth with a single that was bobbled allowing him to take second. He stole third and scored on a passed ball for a 7-0 lead.

The Bearcats turned to Tatum to finish it and he did so pitching around a two out walk.

The Bearcats return to Conference 3A-1 play today when they host Danville at 4:30.