Miller Helps Solon Split Pair of Pitchers’ Duels With Central DeWitt
Photo by Jeff Yoder. Click here to view the photo gallery from Monday's game.
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
SOLON – A sore arm has hampered Cam Miller for the past several weeks though the stats for the Solon sophomore have remained healthy.
Miller entered Monday’s WAMAC matchup with Central DeWitt boasting a 3-1 record and a 1.98 ERA.
After a shaky start Miller looked like his normal dominant self on Monday.
Miller settled in after allowing a run in the second inning, scattering six hits in a complete game 4-2 win in the opening game of a doubleheader at Solon.
“I’ve kind of had a bad arm for the past few weeks and I’ve just battled through it,” Miller said. “I gave up a few hits early but I felt good today.”
The strong performance by Miller helped Class 3A fifth-ranked Solon earn a split in a double dip dominated by pitching.
Central DeWitt junior Lucas Bixby allowed just five hits and fanned 11 in an eight-inning complete game in the nightcap as the Sabers salvaged a split with a 2-1 extra inning win.
Solon move to 14-4 on the season and 11-3 in WAMAC play and had a five-game win streak snapped with the loss in game two.
“Our guys threw great tonight starting with Cam but the same thing can be said for the other dugout, I thought they pitched really well,” Solon coach Keith McSweeney said. “We couldn’t push those guys across when we had the chance, we couldn’t get the big two-out hit tonight but part of that has to do with their pitcher who really kept us guessing and did a really nice job.”
Miller got the Spartans off to a strong start on Monday.
The sophomore struck out eight and walked two in the complete game win while improving to 4-1 on the season.
Miller was 8-0 with a .67 ERA a year ago and has had a bump or two this season while dealing with some arm soreness.
He looked sharp after allowing half of his six hits in the first two innings on Monday.
“He came out and they tagged hit with a few hits in the first innings, they were squaring up some balls and then he sort of settled in,” McSweeney said. “His velocity kind of ticked up and he got competitive and the rest of the way he was able to finagle his way out of a couple of situations but for the most part he was just going after guys with some power and I thought he dominated from the second inning on.”
Central DeWitt took a 1-0 lead on a Tucker Kinney RBI single in the second inning.
Miller settled in and retired six of the next seven hitters he faced after Garrett Finley was hit by a pitch leading off the third.
“The first inning they got a couple of hits and they got that run but I thought I got better as the game went on,” Miller said. “I kind of missed my fast ball up and that has been kind of my MO this year and then I kind of worked my curveball and slider and was able to throw those for strikes and that helped.”
Solon provided all the run support that Miller would need with a three-run fourth inning.
Payton Bandy, Miller and Spencer Wegmann had consecutive run-scoring singles in the inning that gave Solon a lead it would never give up.
Miller took care of the rest allowing just a single run in the seventh inning.
“He’s a guy when he’s out there his competitive nature is really something that can carry us and guys can really get behind that,” McSweeney said. “He’s been big for us.”
Luke Ira followed up the strong outing by Miller in the opening by tossing six strong innings in the nightcap.
The senior allowed an unearned run on six hits while striking out six, leaving with the score tied at 1-1.
Central DeWitt scored the go-ahead run when Cam Steffens tripled to center leading off the eighth and scored on a groundball single up the middle by Finley.
Solon had the tying run 90 feet away in the bottom of the inning when Tyler Linderbaum and Bandy single but Bixby got Miller swinging to end the game.
Game 1
Central DeWitt 010 000 1 – 2 6 0
Solon 000 310 x – 4 3 1
W – Cam Miller L – Jacob Swanson
2B – CD: Tucker Kinney
Game 2
Central DeWitt 010 000 01 – 2 9 1
Solon 100 000 00 – 1 5 2
W – Lucas Bixby L – Ryan Geistkemper
2B – SOL: Tyler Linderbaum, Spencer Wegmann
3B – CD: Cam Steffens