Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

CHILLICOTHE — When the going gets tough, the tough get going. And when the competition steps up, you step up to the competition.
The Green Bobcats played a tough North Adams Green Devils Division III team at the Veterans’ Memorial Stadium on Tuesday and stepped up their game for a 3-1 win.
Tayte Carver pitched six-plus innings for the win, Tanner Kimbler came on in the second to record the save and Bryce Ponn drove in two runs to lead the Bobcats (13-1).
“We stepped up against a quality opponent,” said Green coach Dan McDavid.
“Tayte Carver was outstanding and Kimbler came in and did a quality job and Ponn came through with a big hit again. They carried us. They did what we expect out of our big three.”
Carver struck out and walked one. Kimbler had one strikeout and one walk but worked out of a bases-loaded jam. Ponn was 1-3 with a double and two runs batted in.
Both teams scored in the first inning.
In the top of the first for the Bobcats, Kimbler and Carver singled and scored on a double to the wall by Ponn.
The Devils scored in the bottom of the inning when Ethan Thompson singled, stole second and came home on a wild pitch.
No one scored until Green added an insurance run in the seventh.
Joe Webb was hit by a pitch leading off, stole second and the throw rolled to the wall allowing Webb to score.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Green Devils had a walk and a double by R.J. Taylor.
Kimbler came on in relief and walked the first batter to load the bases. He then got a strikeout for the first out and enticed the next batter to hit into a game-ending 1-2-3 double play.
“We faced some adversity for the first time since the beginning of the season. We learned a lot about ourselves,” said McDavid.
Green 200 000 1 = 3 7 0
North Adams 100 000 0 = 1 5 1
Tayte Carver, Tanner Kimbler (7) and Mason Barber. Ethan Thompson and Elijah Young. W-Carver (K-3, BB-1). Save-Kimbler (K-1, BB-1). L-Thompson (K-5, BB-1, HBP-1). Hitting-Green: Tanner Kimbler 2-4, Tayte Carver 1-3, Bryce Ponn 1-3 2B 2-rbi, Levi Singleton 1-3, Caden Brammer 1-2 2B, Ethan Carpenter 1-3; NA: Dalton Gardner 1-4, Ethan Thompson 2-3, Zach Osborne 1-2 2B, R.J. Taylor 1-3 2B.