By Chris Valentine
PBR Ohio Scouting Director 

LANCASTER , OH – The Fredericktown Freddies came into Friday night’s game as the underdog against top seeded Columbus Academy, but they showed no signs of intimidation prevailing 3-0.

Fredericktown senior RHP Kevin Mclain quietly put together an impressive performance as he held the Academy hitters hitless through seven innings of play.

Meanwhile, Academy senior RHP Charlie Watters put together an impressive performance of his own striking out five batters his first time through the Fredericktown lineup.

But, as he came through the lineup a second time, the Freddies’ leadoff hitter, junior OF Austin Hathaway, greeted Watters with a deep drive over the right field fence to put Fredericktown up 1-0.

The Freddies didn’t relent as they loaded the bases in the same inning, but Watters hunkered down and escaped with a strike out.

In the sixth inning, the Freddies added insurance runs as junior C Tyler Ruhl singled through the right side and DH Cole Bebout walked.

Academy opted to change pitchers as senior RHP Garret Levine came to the mound and promptly threw a wild pitch that scored Ruhl from third. Soon after, Bebout managed to score on a double steal.

Despite a leadoff walk to senior SS Lee Solomon in the bottom of the seventh, McCain responded by inducing three straight put-outs to end Academy’s season.

Mclain was far from overpowering only striking out two batters on the day, but he consistently pounded the zone recording 13 fly ball outs and 9 ground ball outs on the day. The only Academy baserunners to reach first base came on walks in the second and seventh inning.

Fredericktown moves on to play highly touted Coldwater at 5:00 pm on Thursday against Elida HS. 

To view scouting notes from this game, please visit the Ohio High School Scouting Blog. The blog gets updated throughout the week.

To discuss this game, please visit our partner JJHuddle.