The Kokomo Post Sports - Game of the Week: West Lafayette vs Western (Photo Gallery)
A quick start and a deep pitching staff carried Western to a 4-0 win over West Lafayette in the opening round of Class 3A Sectional 23 at Jim Turner Field.
Gavin Denton gave the Panthers an early spark, launching a two-run home run in the top of the first inning. Western added single runs in the second and fourth to build a lead that never wavered. Levi Shoemaker scored on a sacrifice fly by Brady Comer in the second, and Miles Rudy came home on Comer’s RBI single two innings later.
On the mound, Western used three arms to shut down the Red Devils. Jaiden McNulty set the tone with a 1-2-3 first inning, striking out the final batter he faced. Charlie Brewer followed with three solid innings in relief, striking out five and allowing just one unearned run while walking one. Rudy closed it out, pitching the final three innings to seal the shutout.
West Lafayette starter Korbyn Keen went the distance, allowing four hits, four unearned runs, one walk, and striking out six. He gave up the game’s only home run in the first inning and was tagged for four errors behind him.
Western advances to the sectional semifinal and will face conference rival Northwestern at 5 p.m. Saturday.
