By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

 

FRANKLIN FURNACE — If the Green Bobcats are looking to fine-tune their play, they weren’t hitting any sour notes on Tuesday.

Green won its 17th game with a 13-1 five-inning rout of the New Boston Tigers in a Southern Ohio Conference game.

‘We played well as a team. We are just trying to get tuned up for the tournament,” said Green coach Dan McDavid.

The Bobcats (17-6, 11-2) hosts Symmes Valley Wednesday in their final league game and St. Joseph next Wednesday at home in the sectional tournament.

Steve Ratcliff was 3-3 with a pair of runs batted in as Green pounded out 12 hits. Clay Applegate went 2-3 with a double and an RBI, Cody Bruce was 1-3 with a double and three RBI, Mike Avery was 2-2 and Cody Bailey 1-1 with an RBI.

Avery walked, stole second base and scored on two wild pitches to start the game. Rob Applegate walked and scored when Bruce hit into a fielder’s choice and Ratcliff had an RBI single to make it 3-0 in the first inning.

Avery walked and Clay and Rob Applegate singled to the first run in a four-run second inning. Bruce double home two runs and Ratcliff had an RBI single.

Avery had a two-out single and Clay Applegate doubled as Green went up 8-1 in the third inning.

The Bobcats got four more runs in the fourth inning when Colton Brammer and Ratcliff singled, Adam Riffitt walked, Bailey singled in a run, Trevor Kronk hit into a fielder’s choice to score Riffitt and a wild pitch scored Bailey.

The final run scored in the fifth on a single by Matt Howard after Luke Eskridge walked and Jacob Blevins was hit by a pitch.

Green 341 41 = 13 12 0

New Boston 010 00 = 1 2 1

Rob Applegate, Clay Applegate (2), Caleb Johnson (4) and Matt Howard. Payton, Branham (3) and Herrforth. W-C. Applegate (K-4, BB-0, H-1). Johnson K-4, BB-1, H-0. L-Payton. 2B-Green: Clay Applegate, Cody Bruce. Hitting-Green: Mike Avery 2-2, Clay Applegate 2-3 rbi, Rob Applegate 1-1 rbi, Cody Bruce 1-3 3-rbi, Colton Brammer 1-2, Steve Ratcliff 3-3 2-rbi, Matt Howard 1-3 rbi, Cody Bailey 1-1 rbi; New Boston: Shonkwiler 1-3, Herrforth 1-2.