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By Ben Grossberg
PBR Indiana

Cedar Lake – Hanover Central welcomed in Whiting on Monday afternoon where a close game turned into a rout by the fifth inning. Hanover Central sent sophomore Daniel Balich to the mound and Whiting sent Nick Filipek to the mound. Balich is an interesting sophomore that sat 80-82 with his fastball into the sixth inning.

Hanover Central placed runs on the board in the second inning off one out singles from sophomore Riley Welch and Junior Evan Garthus.  An infield error loaded the bases for Junior Tyler Scott who hit into a fielder’s choice to bring in the first run of the game. In the fourth Hanover added another run with a bases loaded walk to Senior Zac Maciejweski.

In the fifth Hanover broke the game open scoring seven runs in the frame. They received three straight singles to start the inning from sophomore Jesse Wilkening, Senior Dan Stum, and Welch. An error brought in the first run and with the bases still loaded, Scott was hit by a pitch to bring in another. Senior Nick Myskowski delivered in his at bat with a RBI single to give Hanover Central the 5-0 cushion. A passed ball brought in the sixth run and Balich drove in two runs with a single to left, knocking out Whiting’s starting pitcher. Wilkening added a RBI single to cap off the inning giving Hanover Central the commanding 9-0 lead.

In the sixth Hanover Central scored another run to end the game with the mercy rule. Pinch hitter Steven Sjoerdsma walked to start the inning and moved to third on a single from Senior Nick Kickert. Aaron Furman grounded out, but Sjoerdsma scored from third to end the game.

Balich was dominant on the mound allowing just three singles and no walks in the six inning win. He did not allow a hit after the third, and the only batters that reached were on errors. At one point he retired 10 consecutive batters and struck out six in the game.