Harrison Central opens season with 4 straight run-rule wins

The Harrison Central Huskies baseball team opened the 2026 season in style, flying to Pensacola, Florida, and returning home with a 3-0 record.

The Huskies (4-0) outscored their opponents 37-4 on the trip, collected 25 hits and allowed just four hits from the mound.

“Lifelong memories are more fun to look back on when you win. That’s what we wanted to do, we wanted to provide the kids with a great experience but also grow as a team and start the season off on the right foot. We played solid baseball and also got to spend our downtime together as a team. It was a phenomenal week,” head coach Mike Valesko said.

Harrison Central opened the season with a 12-1 victory over Pine Forest of Florida. Senior pitcher Colten Rutter was in midseason form in his first start, striking out six in a one-hitter that ended after five innings.

Seven different Huskies had hits, led by sophomore Kolton Mizer, who had a single, a triple and an RBI. Classmates Lance Smith and Hunter Snyder added two RBIs each and scored two runs apiece. Freshman Colson Crothers scored three runs.

The next evening, the Huskies followed with a 12-0 shutout of Atmore Christian of Alabama. Sophomore Zayden Warrington earned the win, throwing four innings and striking out four before transfer Cash Meadows worked the final inning. Meadows struck out two of the three batters he faced in the run-rule shortened game.

Crothers led the offense, going 2 for 3 with a single, a double and four RBIs. He also scored twice. Junior Gage Stoneking had two singles and an RBI, while Rutter and Smith added a single each. Rutter drove in two runs, and Smith scored twice.

In the trip finale, the Huskies jumped to a 2-0 lead over Blount of Alabama in the first inning. They added two runs in the second and four in the third for an 8-0 lead, then rolled to a 13-3 win.

Stoneking earned his first pitching victory of the season, striking out six. Snyder also worked two innings and struck out four.

The Huskies returned home and prepared for their home opener Monday. The bats stayed hot as Harrison Central beat Buckeye Local 14-0 at Mazeroski Field.

Rutter improved to 2-0, striking out nine in four innings. Valesko turned to Crothers for the fifth inning, and the freshman struck out two of the three batters he faced.

For the first time in school history, the Huskies opened a season with four consecutive run-rule victories.

While it is a strong start, it also affects the pitching plan. The coaching staff has worked toward a more traditional starter-reliever approach, even when not necessary, to prepare for games that are not decided by 10 or more runs and shortened by two innings.

The Huskies outhit the Panthers 13-2 and are scheduled to visit Buckeye Local on Wednesday.