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Coldwater's Braylen Harlamert chases back Celina's Carver Harris in a rundown play during Friday's Mercer County ACME baseball contest at Montgomery Field. The Cavaliers defeated Celina 14-5 to improve to 4-0.
CELINA - A hot start to the game gave Coldwater all the momentum it needed to fend off Celina and pick up a 14-5 ACME baseball victory on Friday night at Montgomery Field.
The win moves the Cavaliers to 4-0 on the summer as Celina falls to Coldwater for the second time this season and goes to 3-3.
Coldwater started the game with Braylen Harlamert reaching first on an error. Two wild pitches later, Cole Etzler followed by drawing a walk and AJ Harlamert brought home his brother with a single. Mason Welsch then cleared the bases with a double to left off Dale Secrest to make it 3-0, and Kenny Bailey brought home Welsch with a single for the final run of the inning.
"Both times we've played here, we've scored in the first inning," said Coldwater coach Tom Brunswick. "It's good to start out that way."
Celina got a run back in the bottom of the first on Caleb Stephenson's RBI double that scored Zach Greber, but Owen Kunk followed with two scoreless innings as Coldwater added a run in the second and four more in the fourth to take a 9-1 lead and close in on a possible run-rule.
Celina catcher Luke Maxwell reaches out to make a catch against Coldwater on Friday at Montgomery Field.
But the Bulldogs were up for the challenge and answered with a big inning in the bottom of the fourth. Zander Jones came home when a throw to try and get Secrest on an infield single went into the outfield. Ethan Bryant followed with an RBI double and Landen Jones had an RBI single to make the score 9-4.
"The guys are playing hard," said Celina coach Bill Rockwell. "They really gave it all they had. That's all you can ask. We were a few plays out from being really in the game."
Aaron Kaup came on to pitch for the Cavaliers starting in the fifth and largely shut down Celina's offense, as the Bulldogs managed just one more run in the fifth.
"Give credit to Celina. They battled back and made it interesting," said Brunswick. "In the fourth inning it was getting pretty close."
Coldwater put the damper on any further Celina rally hopes in the sixth with five more runs to make it 14-5.
"Proud of our kids answering (Celina's) rally," said Brunswick. "(It was a) good night. A long night."
Welsch had a big night for Coldwater, going 4-for-5 with six RBI. Braylen Harlamert and Cale Wenning each added two hits.
Zander Jones and Landen Jones each had two hits for Celina.
Coldwater is back in action today as the Cavaliers host Defiance in a doubleheader rematch of last season's state ACME final. Celina makes the trek to Auglaize County on Monday to take on Minster.
