BB — Westfall 8, Zane Trace 3
KINNIKINNICK — Westfall finished its run through the SVC with a 4-10 record but that fourth win will likely be the sweetest as it came Wednesday night in the form of an 8-3 victory at league-leading Zane Trace.
After spotting the Pioneers (18-4, 12-2) a three-run lead in the first two innings, the Mustangs (6-11) started working their way back.
Michael Harwood drew a one-out walk in the third and then came in to score on a triple by Brenden Tuttle.
In the fourth inning, Bryce Wickline opened with a walk. After a strikeout, Wickline stole second and then went to third on a single by Brady Mullins – Mullins took second on an error during the play.
Trent Gardner then ground out to short which brought in Wickline and moved Mullins to third. Mullins would later score on a wild pitch to tie the game.
Harwood walked to lead off the fifth and came in to score on a double to left from Trent Walters.
After a single from Tuttle, Noah Stonerock singled to score Walters and give Westfall a 5-3 lead.
After a scoreless sixth inning, the Mustangs added some insurance runs.
Walters opened the seventh with a walk and moved up to third on a single from Tuttle. A sac fly from Stonerock scored Walters.
Following a pop up and a walk by Jaden Towler, Mullins singled to center which allowed Tuttle and Towler to score. The inning ended as Mullins was thrown out trying to take second.
The Pioneers made a two-out comeback attempt in the bottom of the inning.
ZT drew two walks and then a single loaded the bases. But Trent Gardner got the batter to hit a fly ball to right where Stonerock caught it for the final out.
Before moving to right field, Stonerock started the game for the Mustangs and picked up the win as he went 5.1 innings allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits with a walk and four strikeouts.
Gardner pitched 1.2 scoreless innings in relief allowing one hit, two walks and he struck out two.
Zane Trace has a half-game edge on the SVC championship over Unioto. The Shermans (17-3, 11-2) beat Adena (7-13, 4-10) 4-0 Wednesday and still have a suspended game with third-place Huntington (14-5, 10-3) to complete.
BB — Teays Valley 7, Hamilton Township 4 (9 innings)
OBETZ — Despite only giving up four hits, Teays Valley needed nine innings to beat host Hamilton Township 7-4 Wednesday.
HT was up 3-0 after three innings before the Vikings tied the score in the top of the fifth and the score stayed that way until the eighth inning.
With two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the eighth, Trevor Hamilton was hit by a pitch to force in a run and put the Vikings up 4-3.
The Rangers had two of their four hits in the bottom of the eighth, with the second bringing in a run to tie the game at 4-4 and send it to a ninth frame.
The Vikings did all their damage in the ninth after the first two outs were recorded.
Back-to-back walks from Tyler Blankenship and Thomas Sites were followed by consecutive RBI singles by Weiler, Brady Farmer and Westin Woodrum to put TV up 7-4.
Luke Reese then got the Rangers out 1-2-3 to end the game.
Peyton McElfresh started for the Vikings and gave up three unearned runs on one hit with four walks and five strikeouts.
Reese got the win in relief as he went three innings and allowed one earned run on three hits with a walk and three strikeouts.
Woodrum went 3-5 at the plate to lead TV and Farmer went 2-3.
BB — Circleville 8, Fairfield Union 7 (8 innings)
CIRCLEVILLE — Circleville fell behind 7-2 before scoring the game’s final six runs to beat visiting Fairfield Union 8-7 Wednesday.
With the game tied at 7-7 entering the bottom of the eighth, Circleville’s JD Reuter opened by reaching on an error and went to second on a sacrifice bunt from Trent Smith. An intentional walk was issued to Austin Gray and then Drew Thornsley hit into a fielder’s choice. Reuter advanced to third, Gray was thrown out at second and Thornsley was safe at first.
Lane Adams then stepped to the plate and hit the first pitch to right field to score Reuter and win the game for the Tigers.
Among Circleville’s 10 hits Wednesday was a two-out double in the bottom of the seventh from Kole Nungester that drove in two runs and forced an extra inning.
Kaiden Bigley started for Circleville and pitched seven innings. He gave up seven runs (four earned) on 10 hits with one walk and four strikeouts.
Zach Bell got the win in relief as he pitched a scoreless eighth inning allowing one hit and striking out one.
BB — Bloom-Carroll 11, Amanda-Clearcreek 9
AMANDA — Amanda-Clearcreek came back from a 9-0 deficit to tie Wednesday’s game only to have visiting Bloom-Carroll score two runs in the seventh to go home with an 11-9 win.
Down 9-4, the Aces began the sixth inning with two walks and a single to load the bases. Tanner Affolter singled to bring in a run. Brady Holbrook then drew a walk to force in another run.
Peyton Beavers and Brody Elder each hit grounders to short that brought in two more runs and made it 9-8. Blayne Barker than doubled to left to score Holbrook and tie the game.
BC led off the seventh with a walk and then had a one-out single to retake the lead and a two-out single to get the advantage to two runs.
In the bottom of the inning, the Aces got a two-out double from Nick Holland and a single from Affolter to put runners on the corners, but a line drive to the second baseman ended their comeback hopes.
Leland Riley started for the Aces and went 2.1 innings giving up five runs (three earned) on five hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Elder went 3.2 innings allowing five runs (four earned) on four hits with four walks and a strikeout. Holland pitched an inning with one earned run on two hits and a strikeout.
BB — Liberty Union 11, Logan Elm 10 (9 innings)
CIRCLEVILLE — An eight-run fourth inning wasn’t enough for Logan Elm Wednesday as visiting Liberty Union fought back to claim an 11-10 win in nine innings.
The Braves had eight of their 20 hits in the fourth inning as they scored eight times and took a 9-5 lead.
The Lions battled back with two in the fifth and two in the sixth to tie the game and took the lead on a two-out single in the seventh.
LE answered in the bottom of the inning when Kelton Bennington hit a two-out single to score Josh Hunter and send the game to extra innings.
LU went down 1-2-3 in the eighth, but Logan Elm didn’t go as easy. Two hits and an intentional walk had the bases loaded with two outs, but a popup ended the threat.
A leadoff walk and one-out single gave the Lions a pair of base runners in the eighth. After the second out was recorded, an error allowed the Lions to score and take an 11-10 lead.
The Braves made a threat of their own with two outs as Carson Summers put the ball in play and went all the way to third with two errors on the play. But a grounder brought about the third out and the end to the game.
Bennington went 4-6 at the plate with three RBI. Keegan Diehl and Brady Neff each had three hits.
Colton Eplin started and went four innings for the Braves. He gave up six runs (five earned) on seven hits with a walk and a strikeout. Neff pitched an inning and a third allowing three runs (one earned) on one hit with four walks. Zane Seimer took the loss as he went the final 3.2 innings allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits with a walk and four strikeouts.
