Independence High School played host to the visiting Hough Huskies Friday night in a non-conference high school baseball game.

The Huskies jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top half of the first inning on two called balks on the Independence pitcher. Hough’s Hunter Baker had singled and advanced to second on Seth McAulay’s walk. With two runners on, Indy’s pitcher Dylan Giorgio was checking the runners and stepped off the mound. Hough’s coach Jimmy Cochran came out of he dugout and confronted the umpires. After the conversation the base umpire ruled that Giorgio had balked and awarded the runners a base. Indy’s coach Daniel Cooke went onto the field and asked why was the call made after the fact. However, the base umpire stood with his call.

With runners on third and second, Indy’s pitcher Giorgio was getting ready to make his next pitch when Hough’s third base coach yelled “Balk.” Again after the call from a coach, the base umpire awarded the runners a base scoring Hunter Baker to give Hough a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.

Indy came back in the bottom of the inning when lead off hitter Noah Howie was hit by a pitch. Howie stole second and then advanced to third on a passed ball. With Howie on third and one out, Cooper Fandel picked up the RBI on a sacrifice fly scoring Howie to tie the score 1-1 at the end of one inning.

The Huskies came fighting back in the top of the second. With one out Justin Offschanka doubled off the left field wall. Hough’s next hitter popped out to second for the second out. Josh Parker stepped up and tripled to left center scoring Offschanka. Once again with a runner on third, the umpires ruled a balk scoring Parker giving Hough a 3-1 lead after one and one half innings.

In the third inning Hough scored three more runs while holding Indy scoreless making the score 6-1 after three full innings.

Hough picked up their seventh run in the top of the fourth when lead off hitter Hunter Baker walked and came home on a passed ball making the score 7-1.  Seth Mcauley walked and got caught in a run down between first and second and was tagged out by Cooper Fandel for the first out. Hough’s next two hitter flied out to center to end the inning.

Indy picked up two runs in the bottom half of the inning. Cooper Fandel led off with a single and Chase Rappe came in to run for the catcher. Noah Haislip followed and reached on a fielder’s choice as Hough made the force out at second. Joey Granger came in to run for the pitcher Haislip. Dylan Giorgio walked, and Angelo Aldarondo loaded the bases after being hit by a pitch. Michael Menzer drove in Granger and Giorgio on a fly ball to right field that was muffed to make the score 7-3 at the end of four.

In the top of the fifth Hough added three more runs on a Josh Parker three run home run over the left field wall to increase the score to 10-3.

The Huskies added two more runs in the top of the sixth and scored four more in the top of the seventh to make the score 16-3 going into the bottom half of the seventh.

The Patriots, showing no signs of giving up, scored two runs in the bottom half of the inning. Michael Menzer led off with a double. Chase Rappe followed with a single. Chris Castellucci picked up an RBI on a sacrifice fly to left field making the score 16-4. With two outs and a runner on, Cooper Fandel doubled driving in Rappe for Indy’s fifth run to make the final score 16-5.