By TOM WHITUS sports@newsandtribune.com
JEFFERSONVILLE — Three New Albany pitchers combined to give up six walks during a disastrous fourth inning and host Jeffersonville took advantage

The Red Devils scored six times in the fourth on their way to a 10-2 win in the Hoosier Hills Conference tournament final Saturday afternoon at Don Poole Field.

“Our pitching has been really good all year, we kind of fell apart,” said New Albany coach Chris McIntyre.

The fourth-inning meltdown by the Bulldogs overshadowed a big effort by Jeffersonville’s Drew Campbell, who went 4-for-4 with a home run and three runs batted in.

Campbell had gone 0-for-4 against Jennings County in Friday’s semifinal, but bounced back with a lead off 320-foot blast over the right field fence off of New Albany starter Justin Striegel (4-2).

The Red Devils added another run in the second inning when Campbell singled to score Jeremiah Phelps.

“That’s a sign of maturity,” Jeffersonville coach Derek Ellis said of Campbell. “Senior leadership steps up and sets the tone.”

Leading 2-0 and pitching a no-hitter through three innings, Jeffersonville starter Gabe Bierman (4-2) found trouble in the Bulldogs fourth.

A one-out double by Chase Rudy — New Albany’s first hit of the game — got the surge started. Rudy was at third when Bierman gave up a walk to Timmie Redford. With runners at first and third, an infield error by the Red Devils scored Rudy. A single by Jacob Mullins scored Redford and the game was tied at 2-2.

Having fought back to tie the game, the Bulldog pitchers had difficulty finding the strike zone and New Albany had a lot of trouble getting out of the Red Devils half of the fourth inning.

Phelps got the game-deciding rally started with an infield single. A walk to Bierman chased Striegel. He was relieved by Rudy.

A sacrifice bunt by Trey Dempsey advanced the runners to second and third. Phelps scored the go-ahead run on a passed ball. Rudy proceeded to walk Jack Ellis before Campbell delivered an RBI single to make it 4-2.

Three straight walks delivered to Ian Ellis, Joe Burke and Bailey Falkenstein made it was 6-2. After a short outing, Rudy was relieved by Logan Charbonneau, who found trouble as well.

Charbonneau walked Cam Northern to score another run, then Phelps singled to score Burke and make it 8-2.

“It was an equal walk-fest,” McIntyre said. “It was not for lack of trying, but we just didn’t execute.”

The Red Devils created the final margin in the fifth when Ellis hit a sacrifice fly that scored two runs.

Despite a conference tournament title win over a rival, Coach Ellis was hesitant to dwell on it too much — not with the post season just a couple of weeks away.

“This is sectional-type baseball,” Ellis said of the competition in the HHC tournament.

Both teams have things to work on before the postseason. Jeffersonville had two infield errors and New Albany finished with 10 walks.

Jeffersonville, which is ranked No. 7 in Class 4A, improved to 15-3. Sixth-ranked New Albany fell to 19-6.

HOOSIER HILLS CONFERENCE

CHAMPIONSHIP

New Albany 000 200 0— 2 3 1

Jeffersonville 110 620 x—10 8 2

W — Gabe Bierman (4-2). L — Justin Striegel (4-2). 2B — Chase Rudy (NA). HR — Drew Campbell (J). Records — Jeffersonville 15-3, New Albany 19-6.