Flyers use #8216;Laber#8217; day to beat SV

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, May 3, 2006

Jerrod Laber likes to do all his damage at one time.

Laber hit a pair of home runs in the same inning — including a grand slam — as the St. Joseph Flyers rallied to outscore the Symmes Valley Vikings 17-13 Tuesday.

Laber finished the game 3-for-4 with seven runs batted in as the Flyers collected 17 hits.

Email newsletter signup

Reed Smith was 3-4 in his first starting assignment and Dylan Klein went 2-4 as the two filled in for absent starters Ryan Schwab and Jeremy Addis.

Alex Swarts was 3-4, Ryan Waginger 2-3 and Caleb Blackburn 2-5 for the Flyers.

“Ryan Waginger was sick before the game and we were missing our shortstop and catcher,” Flyers coach Greg Bryant said. “But the kids got a chance to play and they stepped up.”

Kyle Meadows was 3-3, Matt Owens 3-5, Seth Saunders 2-2, Alex Burnett 2-4 and Cody Bland 2-5 for the Vikings who had 16 hits.

The Vikings went up 2-0 in the top of the first inning on a hit by Burnett and Bland’s two-run homer.

St. Joseph got a run back in the bottom of the frame on a double by Waginger, a walk to Swarts and a hit by Blackburn.

Symmes Valley got a run in the second on a double by Derek Carpenter and a hit by Robbie Powell.

The Flyers tied the game in the bottom of the inning. Smith and Gagai walked and then Waginger and Swarts had RBI singles.

St. Joseph took a 4-3 lead in the fourth inning as Waginger walked, Swarts singled and a bad pickoff throw.

In the top of the fifth, Symmes Valley regained the lead. Burnett, Bland and Hatfield singled for a run and Nathan Spencer was safe on an error for a run.

The Flyers came right back to go up 6-5 in the bottom of the inning.

Laber singled, Michael Basedow was safe on an error, Smith singled and Klein hit into a fielder’s choice.

Both team erupted in the sixth inning as the Vikings scored seven runs and the Flyers 11.

Powell was safe on an error, Brice Sexton and Burnett singled and Bland walked to force in a run. Jeremy Hatfield followed with a grand slam.

Brian Williams singled and Saunders and Matt Owens hit back-to-back home run.

St. Joseph came right back in its half of the inning.

Swarts and Blackburn singled and Laber cranked a three-run homer.

Basedow, Smith and Klein singled and Chad Harvey reached on a fielder’s choice as the run scored.

Gagai had a sacrifice fly and then Waginger, Swarts and Blackburn all walked to load the bases. Laber smacked a great slam home run and the Flyers led 17-12.

St. Joseph is now 6-3 and Symmes Valley 8-8.

Sym. Valley2100271=13164

St. Joseph12012(11)x=17172

Kyle Meadows, Brian Williams (6), J.J. Huff (6) and Cody Bland. Ryan Waginger, Caleb Blackburn (6) and Pat Gagai. W-Blackburn. L-Williams. 2B-SV: Derek Carpenter; St. Joseph: Ryan Waginger. HR-SV: Cody Bland, Jeremy Hatfield, Seth Saunders, Matt Owens; St. Joseph: Jerrod Laber 2 (3-R, GS). Hitting-Symmes Valley: Robbie Powell 1-4, Brice Sexton 1-5, Alex Burnett 2-4, Cody Bland 2-5, Kyle Meadows 3-3, Derek Carpenter 1-4, Jeremy Hatfield 1-1, Brian Williams 1-2, Kirt Shipley 1-2, Seth Saunders 2-2, Matt Owens 3-5; St. Joseph: Chad Harvey 1-4, Ryan Waginger 2-3, Alex Swarts 3-4, Caleb Blackburn 2-5, Jerrod Laber 3-4, Michael Basedow 1-5, Reed Smith 3-4, Dylan Klein 2-4.