WILLARD — Kash Koch was money.
Sandusky Perkins’ ace, Koch fired a one-hitter as the top-seeded Pirates cruised to a 9-1 win over No. 4-seed Shelby in the first game of a district semifinal doubleheader Tuesday at the Willard Sports Complex.
A junior right-hander, Koch took a perfect game into the seventh before surrendering a leadoff single to Shelby’s Nic Eyster. Eyster eventually scored on a Mav Noel groundout.
Kock struck out nine and walked one. He faced 23 batters, two over the minimum.
Perkins gave Koch all the support he needed in the home half of the third, scoring four runs. The Pirates blew it open in the fifth, scoring five runs on five hits. Blake Parker laced a two-run double.
Bryce Davie led Perkins at the plate with a pair of hits. Parker was 1-for-3 with three runs batted in, while Dylan Crabtree was 1-for-3 with an RBI and a pair of stolen bases.
The Pirates will play second-seeded Clear Fork for a district title at 5 p.m. Thursday in Willard. The Colts beat No. 5 Vermilion 3-1 in Tuesday’s late game.
(Photos by Tom Theodore)
