Edited recap from Tom Snape: The Batesville Bulldogs raced out to a three-score lead at halftime and held on for a 35-28 win over the Greensburg Pirates to spoil Homecoming in the Tree City.
The Pirates scored first when Oakley Best punched it in from 6 yards out with 9:08 to go in the opening period. Grayson Newhart’s extra point made it 7-0 Greensburg.
Batesville got on the board when quarterback Travis Lecher called his own number and ran 11 yards to paydirt with 6:26 remaining in the first quarter. Braiden Foster booted the kick through the uprights, and the game was tied at 7-7.
The Bulldogs added to their lead when Gage Pohlman made it into the end zone from 5 yards out with 11:15 to go in the second quarter. The PAT was good and BHS led 14-7.
The host Buccos tied it with 6:16 remaining before halftime when junior QB Sam West hit Ethan Meadows in the corner of the end zone from 19 yards. The kick was good and it was 14-14.
Then Batesville scored 21 unanswered points to close out the first half.
Lecher ran down the middle of the field 61 yards for his second touchdown at the 5:12 mark to put the Dogs up 21-14.
With 3:11 to go before the break, Lecher hooked up with Bryson Bonelli for a 53 yard TD pass to make it 28-14 in favor of Batesville.
The Bulldogs scored for what turned out to be their final time. With 40 seconds to go before halftime, Lecher ran for his third rushing TD, this one from 5 yards out, to make it Batesville 35, Greensburg 14 at intermission.
The Pirates got the ball to start the second half and methodically marched down field. Their drive was capped off when West hit Corbin Mathews with a 24-yard touchdown strike at the 7:01 mark to make it 35-21 in favor of Batesville.
Greensburg made it really interesting with 48 seconds left in the third when Best scored his second touchdown, a 20-yard TD, for what would turn out to be the final tally of the night.
The Pirates were driving late in the fourth quarter for a tying touchdown when a fumble was recovered in the end zone by Batesville. The Bulldogs picked up several first downs before going into the victory formation and getting out of Greensburg with the 35-28 win.
Evan Ulery’s BHS squad improves to 4-3 overall and 2-1 in the EIAC 3A Division, while coach Scott Moore’s Bucs fall to 1-4 and 0-1.
Batesville 35, Greensburg 28 (home)
BA 07 28 00 00
GB 07 07 14 00
Stats were not yet available.
We thank Tom Snape for the report and the photo.