Granville blanks defending champs in opener

• Carson allowed only three hits%2C while striking out seven%2C walking one and hitting a batter.
• Morrison also pitched well for Valley%2C allowing five hits%2C fanning seven and walking four.

GRANVILLE – It was power on power Monday. This time, Sam Stewart won.

Granville's junior shortstop drove a Drew Morrison fastball over the left field fence for a two-run homer in the fifth inning, backing the stellar pitching of Cody Carson and giving the host Blue Aces a 2-0, season-opening Licking County League win against defending champion Licking Valley.

"I just missed the first pitch. I got the bottom of the ball and fouled it off," Stewart said. "I got two strikes on me, and coach always says to choke up and put it in play. Well, look what happened. I was looking for a fastball, because he had been trying to blow them by us the entire game."

Coach Vince Ghiloni said Stewart has a lot of power for a leadoff hitter.

"We could hit him first or third," he said. "He has the best bat speed of anyone on the team. Their kid throws hard, so it was power coming in, power going out."

Carson, like Morrison a senior lefthander, mixed his breaking stuff in with a deceptive fastball. He allowed only three hits, two in the first inning, while striking out seven, walking one and hitting a batter.

"I faced him in sixth grade in the Shrine Tournament. It's always a privilege," Carson said. "I didn't even know I was pitching until I got here. I wasn't surprised, because they have trouble with lefties. I like to rely on my splitter and curve, and I worked out in the summer, so it helped with my velocity."

Ghiloni called Carson "sneaky fast."

"He throws that curve to set it up, and he got stronger," he said. "We were expecting to pitch Sam (Stewart), but we have an infielder hurt, and without Sam there, it would make us weaker. We felt they might try to run on us and maybe a lefty could be harder on them. They didn't run."

Valley coach Adam Arcuri said Carson definitely kept the Panthers off-balance. "But we allowed him to dictate what he would throw," he said. "Our approach could have been better. We always talk about getting the lead first, putting the pressure on them and making them respond. We had our chance, and didn't do it."

Colt Caughenbaugh and Tyler Nethers had first-inning singles, but Carson induced a two-out popup. The Panthers loaded the bases in the sixth, but Carson recorded a two-out strikeout.

Morrison also pitched well for Valley, allowing five hits including doubles by Ryan Blessard and Zach Vanderink. He fanned seven and walked four.

"We beat them last year in the opener 6-1 when no one thought we would," Stewart said. "I don't think anyone thought we would this year, either. This was huge."

dweidig@newarkadvocate.com

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Twitter: @noz75