Friday, June 11th, 2010

Flyers edge Bulldogs in the seventh

By Gary R. Rasberry
Photo by Mark Pummell/The Daily Standard

Celina's Mitch Albers, back, slides safely into second base as Marion Local's Jordan Rethman is unable to make the catch during their ACME contest on Thursday. Marion Local rallied with three straight two-out hits in the bottom of the seventh inning to edge Celina, 2-1.

MARIA STEIN - Three straight two-out hits in the bottom of the seventh inning pushed Marion Local to a 2-1 win over Celina in ACME action on Thursday.
Marion Local tied the game in the bottom of the sixth inning before scoring the game-winning run in the seventh to give Flyers pitcher Greg Wolters the win after he held Celina to three hits and an unearned run.
"He pitched real well," said Marion coach Erik (Doc) Rutschilling of Wolters. "Our defense had some errors to give them that run, but we just kept battling, kept them close and won in the end."
The Flyers (4-2) had 10 hits on the day, six of which came in the final two innings. They were scoreless the first five innings against Celina pitcher Derek Waterman, who struck out eight, did not walk a batter and benefited from good defense.
"It was a good pitching game," said Celina coach Rob Howell. "The game was pitched well. Threw a lot of strikes."
Celina (2-3) scored its run in the fourth as Waterman reached on a one-out walk and stole second. Mitch Albers swung and missed on strike three, but the ball went into the dirt, allowing Albers to race for first base safely. When the throw to try and get Albers was off the mark, Waterman rounded third and came home to score.
Marion started the comeback in the sixth. Lee Pierron led off with a double and Wolters followed with a single to put runners on the corners. After Mitch Eilerman flied out, Dylan Thobe doubled to center. While Pierron scored easily on the Thobe double, Wolters was gunned down at the plate with the score tied 1-1.
Celina had a chance to take the lead in the top of the seventh. With one away, Cummins singled and went to second on a wild pitch. Cody Vogel then grounded a ball deep between short and third, but Cummins got caught in the middle of a baserunning mistake and was tagged out going to third. Vogel was then caught stealing second to end the threat.
Waterman got the first two outs of the bottom of the seventh for Celina, but Jon Elking singled to keep the inning going for Marion Local. Kyle Mescher followed with a single of his own to bring up Pierron, who lined a shot into leftfield past the Celina shortstop to allow Elking to score the game-winner.
"Jon, senior leadership right there, led us off and we just kept it rolling and got it in," said Rutschilling.
Howell didn't feel that Celina was as ready to play as Marion Local.
"We simply came over here not ready to play," said Howell. "We simply were not intense. Left a few guys on base, not getting swings to the zone. When you're not intense, you're not going to win many games. We really got to pick up our intensity.
"We hung tough for awhile, and these guys are still trying to gel, get together and learn how to win. They're still trying to learn how to win."
Pierron went 3-for-4 to lead Marion while Eilerman and Thobe each added two hits.
Marion Local hosts New Bremen tonight. Celina starts a four-team round-robin tonight, facing Coldwater for the second time in a week at 8 p.m. Shawnee and Spencerville play the opening game tonight at 6 p.m. Saturday sees all four teams finishing the round-robin starting at noon.
Photo by Mark Pummell/The Daily Standard

Marion Local pitcher Greg Wolters threw seven strong innings during the Flyers' 2-1 win over Celina in ACME action in Maria Stein on Thursday. Wolters allowed one unearned run on three hits and had four strikeouts.

Photo by Mark Pummell/The Daily Standard

Marion Local's Jon Elking fields a groundball during the Flyers' 2-1 win over Celina in ACME action in Maria Stein on Thursday.

Additional online story on this date
A Lima company will be at the helm when the former jail in Celina is torn down starting next month.
Hume Supply was awarded the contract Thursday after submitting a bid of $27,792 to demolish the building. The company's bid was the lowest of seven that were opened by commissioners a week ago. [More]
Subscriber and paid stories on this date
Project may begin next spring
FORT RECOVERY - The village's 18-year-old brick street downtown is going to be restored.
After months of discussion, village council members this w
ST. HENRY - A well-traveled roadway in southern Mercer County is targeted for road work this summer.
County commissioners set 1:30 p.m. July 1 as t
Mercer County
Mercer County commissioners on Thursday approved a sole bid for a new ambulance chassis and related equipment for the local fleet.
Life Star Rescue of Van Wert submitted the only bid - $95,432 - for a new 2010 Ford E-350 chassis with an ambulance prep package and a diesel engine.
Ready for a day trip?
I recommend taking in the rose garden open house on Saturday at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) in Wooster.
The congregation of Our Lady of the Precious Blood in Santiago, Chile, grew for weeks after the horrific earthquake struck in February.
The Catholi
16th Annual Dirt Late Model Dream Preview
ROSSBURG - If coming into a major race at Eldora Speedway with momentum is a key to victory, then stamp Jacksonville, Florida's Earl Pearson, Jr. the favorite to take home $100,000 in the dirt late model Dream on Saturday night.
COLDWATER - The Parkway Panthers used a great pitching performance by Dylan Baker and timely offense to defeat the Coldwater Cavaliers, 3-2, in ACME action on Thursday night at Veterans Field.