By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
SAVANNAH - Savannah scored 12 runs in the first two innings and took advantage of 13 free passes in a 15-4, run rule victory over the Lafayette Fighting Irish at Savannah High School Tuesday.
The Savages (4-3) went up 4-0 at the end of the first inning after drawing three straight walks to start the game. RBI singles by Ashton Kincaid, Landon Noland, Zayden Snapp and Bryce Stanley all in a row brought in the first four runs.
Lafayette (2-2) put up a run in the bottom of the first to get on the board, but Savannah answered with eight total runs in the bottom of the second.
Three Savages were hit by a pitch in the bottom of the second, and six total hits in that frame essentially put the game out of reach early.
A pair of two-run RBI doubles by Sutton Snipes and Truman Bodenhausen were the highlight moments in the second.
By the end of the second inning, every Savannah player in the lineup came around to score a run, and the Savages led 12-1 entering the third.
"Our approach at the plate was good," said junior Wyatt Jackson, who led Savannah with four runs scored. "As a team, our goal is to be patient and make the pitcher pitch to us, and that's what we did. So, good win."
Savannah added three more runs for good measure in the fourth inning. They scored those three runs without ever notching a hit. Three hit batters, two walks and a sac fly by Snapp made it a 15-4 ballgame.
Lafayette scored one run in the second, third, fourth and fifth innings, but the Irish were never able to snap back after Savannah's onslaught in the second.
Freshman Carter Bruce led the Irish with two runs scored. Junior Drake Losson doubled and scored. Junior Brendon Bushong took the loss on the hill for Lafayette.
Snapp went 2-for-4 with a team-best three RBIs for Savannah. Bodenhausen scored three runs and drove in two more.
In the end, every Savage in the starting lineup got a hit and scored a run. Savannah also drew six walks and were hit by a pitch seven times.
"Yeah, we returned a few seniors and they're a big role in our team this year," Snapp said. "A few returning starters who are juniors now, too. We just have to keep working and we'll be fine."
On the bump, senior Ethan Dudeck pitched the full game, allowing just five hits and three earned runs. He struck out three, walked three and hit a pair of batters as well.
"I thought Ethan did a great job," Savannah coach Erich Bodenhausen said. "Filling up the zone and throwing strikes. We talked after the game, I felt like he was ahead (in the count) a lot and then we kind of nibbled. So, I'd like for him to be a bit more aggressive and go after, but other than that, he did a great job for us."
With a varsity team made up of 15 upperclassmen, including six seniors and multiple returning starters from last year, Savannah has made a splash early this season, especially on offense.
Through their first seven games, Savannah is averaging 10 runs per contest. Tuesday marked the fourth time already this season that the Savages have put up double digits in the scoring column.
"It's only going to get better as the temperature warms up," Bodenhausen said. "Hopefully, we'll keep driving the ball and improve in a few other areas, pitching and defense and we can be a pretty good team."
Savannah heads to Cameron Thursday. Lafayette is home to Maryville that same day.
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