HOWARD — Garrett Frazee clubbed a pair of doubles and knocked in four runs to support his relief effort on the mound and lift the East Knox Bulldogs (1-1) to a 10-9 victory over the Newcomerstown Trojans in non-league baseball action on Tuesday.
“It’s nice to get our first win of the year,” said East Knox coach Kevin Gallwitz. “We had to hit the ball tonight to win. That’s what it took. We played defense when we needed to, once we got the lead back.”
Down 2-0 in the third, the Bulldogs’ bats exploded. Ten Bulldogs came to the plate in an inning that was highlighted by a Frazee three-run double that scored Adam Keeton (pinch running for starting pitcher Brandon Seese), Tony Johnson and Chase Cottrell, who was right on Johnson’s heels. That put the Bulldogs up, 3-2.
“I thought I was in that movie “Major League”, when they were waving them in to score two at a time,” said Gallwitz. “Two guys came in about five feet apart there. That’s never happened for me before. Tony was getting up when Chase was coming in.”
“It lit up the team a lot and got them back in the mood,” said Frazee. “We were able to come back.”
Frazee’s bases-clearing blow was followed by a two-run double by sophomore catcher Chad Lupher two batters later, which scored Frazee and first baseman Tyler Berger. Eventually the Bulldogs built a 6-2 lead.
Coming on in relief of Seese in the fourth, Frazee gave up four hits including a two-run double to Trojans’ outfielder Caleb Fenton. The Bulldogs lead evaporated and the Trojans were on top, 7-6.
“I think what happens this time of year with the weather this cold that it takes time for your pitchers to get loose,” said Gallwitz. “It seemed like, once (Seese) got loose and settled down and got through that first inning, he did fine. When he came off the mound the second time, he was starting to sweat, so I knew he was starting to get loose.”
“I came in and I warmed up a little bit,” said Frazee. “It was a little tight. Then I was struggling a little, throwing high up fastballs. My second inning went pretty fast — three up and three down.”
After tying it up in the fifth, the Bulldogs took the lead for good, scoring three in the sixth. Another RBI double by Frazee, along with RBIs from centerfielder Devin Faucett and third baseman Alan Christian gave East Knox a 10-8 lead, which was just enough to hang on.
 to a 10-9 victory over the Newcomerstown Trojans in non-league baseball action on Tuesday. ){kind=link}