GAME STORY: Tigers outrun ‘Hounds; will meet Millers (TheTimes24-7.com)

Despite an early exit from sectional play, Carmel baseball coach Dan Roman was pleased with the season overall.

“It was an awesome season,” Roman said of the ninth-ranked Greyhounds’ run. “We’re making strides.”

Carmel finished 17-6 and tied with Lawrence Central for the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference title at 11-3. The Greyhounds shared the title with Center Grove in 2009 and last won it outright in 2008.

The second-year coach will see his team change in 2015, with 11 seniors graduating. The youth movement already started for Roman with sophomore Sam Berry at shortstop and freshman Parker Massman in right field.

“There are good things to come.”

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The ball was flying out of Nathaniel Rhodes’ hand Tuesday night and it was going up. That’s not usually a good thing for the Fishers’ starting pitcher.

Fishers coach Matt Cherry said that Rhodes was “a little amped up” for the sectional opener. Rhodes insisted he had a hard time adjusting to a steeper mound and a slick spot where his foot touches the pitching rubber. Whatever the reason, Carmel took advantage of the walks, base hits and a balk for a 3-run rally first inning rally.

It could have been worse for the Tigers. But, Rhodes went away from the fastball and started changing speeds, using his curveball as his primary pitch.

“His curveball kept them off balance,” Cherry said. “He was able to get some ground balls.”

After walking two in the first inning, Rhodes walked just three more over the remaining six innings.

“I think I only threw five or six (curveballs) for balls the whole night,” Rhodes. “They couldn’t hit it.”

Because of the rough first inning and some jams throughout the game, Rhodes threw 120 pitches in the complete game win. The workload doesn’t bother Rhodes because he’ll four days rest before the Tigers meet Noblesville in the sectional semifinals.

“My arm’s not too sore.”

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Back on April 3, Fishers handed Farragut (Tenn.) a 10-0 loss during the Tigers’ spring break trek south. The loss started a 3-game losing streak for the Admirals. The Knoxville school rebounded to finish 33-12 and win Tennessee’s AAA State Championship.