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The Mason Comets outhit, outpitched and committed less errors than the Lakota West Firebirds in the season opener for both clubs Monday in the inaugural Reds Future High School Showcase at Prasco Park Legacy Field in Mason.

Mason junior Andrew McDonald earned his first win of the season when the Comets defeated Lakota West March 26. Photo taken by Adam Kiefaber.

The Comets winning pitcher, junior Andrew McDonald, gave up a run and loaded the bases in the second inning. After that, the 6-foot-5 right-handed junior settled down, striking out seven batters in five innings of work.

McDonald also gave up four hits, four walks and two runs, one of which was earned.

“Personally, I know that it wasn’t my best performance, but I am pleased with it because we walked away with a win,” McDonald said. “That is all that counts.

“It feels great to get a win against a rival like West.”

Meanwhile, Lakota West starting pitcher senior Zak Farmer lasted four innings and gave up seven runs. Only three of the runs, however, were earned. On defense, Lakota West committed six errors.

Offensively, the Comets were led their No. 7 and No. 8 hitters, junior first baseman Corey Quallen and senior designated hitter Josh Orlando. Both batters combined for four hits, two triples and three runs batted in.

“Anytime you get a win first time out of the gate, against a team like West, you have to take it,” Mason head coach Ken Gray said. “It is obvious that they didn’t play their best game and they are a lot better ballclub than what they showed.

“It was just one of those days where they had a bad day at the yard and we were able to take advantage of it.”

Mason 9, Lakota West 2

W-McDonald (1-0); Farmer (0-1). Leaders M- Galloway 2-2. 2 RBI, Highfill 2 RBI, Otte 3 runs, Quallen 3B, 2B, Orlando 3B 2 RBI. LW-Ma. Anderson 2-3, 2B. Mason (1-0, 1-0 in the GMC), Lakota West (0-1, 0-1 in the GMC).

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Tags: Tags: Andrew McDonald, Cincinnati Reds, Cincinnati Reds Futures High School Showcase, Lakota West, Lakota West baseball, Lakota West sports, Mason baseball, Reds Futures High School Showcase, Zak Farmer

Mr. Redlegs high fives guests Monday, March 26, 2012, in the inaugural Reds Future High School Showcase at Prasco Park Legacy Field in Mason. Photo taken by Adam Kiefaber of WestChesterBuzz.com.

After wining nine straight games to finish last season, which included the school’s first ever state team title, Lakota East lost by the score of 4-2 to Greater Miami Conference foe Hamilton in both schools’ season openers Monday during the inaugural Reds Future High School Showcase at Prasco Park Legacy Field in Mason.

The game went into the seventh inning, tied 2-2, when Hamilton’s starting pitcher Steven Moore crushed a triple in the right-field corner off junior relief pitcher Brett Colburn. The play drove in junior second baseman Jeffrey Benge with the go-ahead run. Moore would later score on a wild pitch.

The Thunderhawks lost despite a strong performance from senior pitcher Michael Conrad. The University of Cincinnati signee and 2011 Enquirer player of the year used an 87-mph fastball and a 71-mph curveball to fool the Big Blue lineup. Over six innings, Conrad totaled 12 strikeouts.

Conrad got a two-run cushion in the bottom of the first inning when his best friend and senior classmate Alex Corna (Ohio University signee) hammered a pitch an estimated 350 feet over the right-field fence against Moore.

Hamilton came back to tie the score in the bottom of the fourth when senior rightfielder Patrick McGuff and sophomore shortstop John Heckman came through with a pair of two-out RBI singles.

The bottom half of that inning, McGuff came in to pitch for Hamilton and shut down the Thunderhawks’ offense. In the last four innings of the ballgame, McGuff cruised through the next 10 batters before hitting junior pinch-hitter Tyler Schlensker in the bottom of the seventh.

The next batter, junior Chris Elam grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to preserve the win.

“Anytime you can get a win first time out of the box, it is a good win, and to beat a quality team like Lakota East, it is an even bigger win,” Hamilton head coach Joe Lewis said.

“It’s a big one for the club, hopefully the first of many this year.”

Hamilton 4, Lakota East 2

W-McGuff (1-0); Colburn (0-1), Conrad (12 K’s). Leaders L-Corna 2-R HR. H-McGuff RBI; Heckman RBI; Benge 2-3, 2B; Moore RBI 3B. Hamilton (1-0, 1-0 in the GMC), Lakota East (0-1, 0-1 in the GMC)

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Tags: Tags: Alex Corna, Alex Corna Ohio, Cincinnati Reds, Cincinnati Reds Futures High School Showcase, Hamilton baseball, Lakota East, Lakota East baseball, Lakota East Sports, Lakota West, Michael Conrad, Michael Conrad Cincinnati, Michael Conrad Lakota East, Mike Conrad, Patrick McGuff, Reds Futures High School Showcase

Ray Hamilton, Lakota East head baseball coach, speaks about the Reds Future Showcase to a packed house at the Reds Hall of Fame, March 6, 2012. The event features 50 teams and will take place at local ballparks March 24-April 2. Photo taken by Liz Dufour.

Both baseball squads from Lakota East and Lakota West high schools have accepted invitations to play in the inaugural Reds Futures High School Showcase presented by PNC. The showcase is part of the Cincinnati Reds’ opening week program, which also includes the Reds Futures Game April 3, Opening Day April 5 and Opening Night April 7.

A total of 50 high school teams from Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky will compete in 25 games at local ballparks from March 24 to April 2. Players competing in the showcase are also invited onto the field at Great American Ball Park to hang out with professional ballplayers before they participate in the Reds Futures Game, which is between Reds major leaguers and the top talent in the Reds minor leagues.

“Adding this high school showcase as part of what we have planned for our Reds vs. Futures event at Great American Ball Park on April 3rd ties yet another generation of baseball players to this celebration of our city’s rich baseball heritage,” Reds COO Phil Castellini said in a release.

Both Lakota West and Lakota East will participate in the event Monday, March 26. Both teams will face Greater Miami Conference opponents in back-to-back games at Prasco Park Legacy Field in Mason. Lakota West will face Mason at 4 p.m. in the first game, while Lakota East matches up against Hamilton at 6:30 p.m. in the second game.

“If this can get close to the way the (high school) crosstown shootout is with football, we’re onto something,” Lakota East head coach Ray Hamilton said.

Last spring, the Thunderhawks finished with a 24-7 overall record and won the school’s first team state championship. Lakota East will lose 12 starters from that championship squad, but will also return a lot of talent in senior pitcher Michael Conrad (2011 Enquirer Player of the Year and University of Cincinnati signee), senior outfielder Alex Corna (Ohio University signee), junior catcher Jarrett Rindfleisch and third baseman/pitcher Blake Wilder.

Meanwhile, Lakota West finished last season with a 17-12 overall record. The Firebirds also won a district title in the postseason and split games with rival Lakota East during the regular season – defeating the Thunderhawks 4-3 April 26, 2011.

Tickets for all 25 games in the Reds Futures High School Showcase are $5. Those tickets will be offered at each high school beginning March 14 and will also be available on game days at the gate. Each ticket purchased will include a voucher for a future Cincinnati Reds game.

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Tags: Tags: Cincinnati Reds, Cincinnati Reds Futures High School Showcase, Lakota East, Lakota East baseball, Lakota East Sports, Lakota West, Lakota West baseball, Lakota West sports, Phil Castellini, Ray Hamilton, Reds Futures High School Showcase