Big Red’s Nolan Blackburn fires a pitch against Indian Creek. - Andrew Grimm

Despite being out-hit and trailing two separate times, Indian Creek found a way to get a season sweep of Big Red with a 3-2 win at the Crimson Complex on Thursday.

Creek, which won for the 16th time in 19 games, managed just four hits in the game, but took advantage of drawing six walks and did just enough to pull off the comeback win for a season sweep of the meetings with Big Red.

“It was a battle with them and it always is,” Indian Creek head coach Mike Cottis said. “It doesn’t matter if one of us is having a down year or what they scenario is, you can throw the records out, this game is always a dog fight.

“We didn’t hit the ball like we need to, but we did enough and played excellent defense and got excellent pitching. Sometimes it’s about finding a way and that’s what we did with good pitching, defense and base running.”

MAKING THE PLAY — Indian Creek’s Max Lane makes a throw to first base for an out against Big Red during Thursday’s game at the Crimson Complex. - Andrew Grimm

Gavin Pownall tossed 3 1/3 scoreless innings of relief work for the Redskins, striking out one without issuing a walk to get credit for the win. He replaced James Brothers, who struck out three and walked three in the first 3 2/3.

Ty Householder led off the game with a double, the only extra base hit of the game, but Creek did not get on the board until the third.

Big Red took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, starting the game with three-straight hits, capped by Matt Fabbro’s RBI single.

After Householder walked and stole second and third to start the third, Hunter Rusnak’s RBI groundout evened the score.

Big Red jumped back in front in the bottom of the fourth with a two-out, pinch-hit RBI single from Nicky Lovato for a 2-1 lead.

Indian Creek’s Ian Starkey makes contact with his swing against Big Red. - Andrew Grimm

That, though, ended up being their final run of the game as they went on to strand runners on second and third in the fifth.

“They’re good team,” Big Red head coach Fred Heatherington said. “The scoreboard says we out-hit them, but we didn’t get the timely hits. If you don’t get the timely hit, (losing despite out-hitting the opponent) is what’s going to happen.”

Creek, in the top of the fifth, tied things with an RBI groundout from Sal Barcalow, then took its first and only lead of the game when Dom DeGruttola drew a bases-loaded walk for what proved to be the winning run.

Big Red’s Nolan Blackburn bounced back from there and finished a complete game effort, striking out two.

“We battled, Nolan battled and pitched a good game,” Heatherington said. “That’s been our season, we’ll keep battling and see what happens.”

UP NEXT

Indian Creek: Takes on Licking Valley on Saturday in the Maz Classic at Harrison Central’s Mazeroski Field.

Big Red: Is slated to host Granville on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. Granville also plays at Edison later in the afternoon.

Indian Creek 3, Big Red 2

IC 0-0-1 0-2-0 0 — 3 4 1

BR 1-0-0 1-0-0 0 — 2 7 0

INDIAN CREEK (16-3): Brothers (3 2/3IP, 2R, 2ER, 4H, 3K, 3BB), Pownall (WP, 3 1/3IP, 0R, 3H, 1K, 0BB) and Rusnak. Householder D; Barcalow S, RBI; Starkey 2S; Rusnak RBI.

BIG RED (8-12): Blackburn (LP, CG, 3R, 3ER, 4H, 2K, 6BB, 1HBP) and Simmons. Borsch D, S; Fabbro 2S, RBI; Lovato S, RBI; Mayo S; Gulan S.