Indians win first-ever district title

Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry

Emma Will's two-out double in the bottom of the eighth inning scored Paisley Hart to give Fort Recovery its first-ever district softball championship with a 4-3 win over Riverside in the Division VI Southwest 2 district final on Friday at Anna High School.

The Indians (17-9) travel to the Bellefontaine regional on Wednesday at 2 p.m. against undefeated Tri-Village (26-0). The Western Ohio Atheltic Conference champions defeated Fayetteville-Perry 12-3 in the Southwest 1 district final at Middletown Fenwick.

With one out in the bottom of the eighth, Hart reached on a single to right. Pirates pitcher Riley Dillon then struck out Layla Armstrong to bring up Well, who worked the count to 1-2 before belting a shot to center. Hart dashed around third and scored to give the Indians the championship.

The game was back and forth with Fort Recovery striking first in the bottom of the first on a Jenna Homan sacrifice fly that scored Will. Riverside tied the game in the third on Aubree Huston's double to score Kenna Johnson, then went up 2-1 in the fifth on Dillon's home run. The Indians regained momentum in the bottom of the fifth as Ella Schoen singled home Homan and Will to put the Indians in front 3-2. Dillon struck again in the top of the seventh, taking an 0-2 offering over the fence in right field to knot the game at 3-all. Fort Recovery had a chance to end the game in the bottom of the seventh as Ava Grisez reached on an error, Homan singled and Schoen was intentionally walked. Dillon quickly extinguished the threat with back-to-back strikeouts to send the game to extra innings.

Riverside got a runner on in the top of the eighth as Brook Hunkler got a one-out walk, but Homan bowed her back and got a groundout and strikeout to move to the bottom of the inning.

Homan, the Indians' leader for wins in a season, scattered six hits and two walks while striking out five to earn the victory.

Dillon walked just one while striking out seven.

Hart went 3-for-4 while Will was 3-for-5 with the winning RBI. Homan added two hits.

Dillon added a double to go with her two home runs.

LINESCORE
Riverside  001  010  10  -  3  6  2
Fort Recovery  100  020  01  -  4  11  5

WP - Homan

LP - Dillon

2B - R: Huston, Dillon. FR: Will (2).

HR - R: Dillon (2).

Records: Riverside 14-12, Fort Recovery 17-9.

TOURNAMENT BASEBALL
Van Wert 4, St. Marys 3

A fielding error with one out in the bottom of the seventh allowed Nate Gearhart to score the winning run as the Cougars defeated the Roughriders in a Division IV sectional final at Russell Fisher Field in Van Wert.

Van Wert (13-7) advances to play the winner of today's Upper Sandusky-Elida game on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. in Fort Jennings. The Roughriders end their spring at 12-11.

Van Wert led 2-1 after two innings before St. Marys tied the game in the third as Joel Kogge singled home Dyllan Fink.

The score remained tied until the top of the seventh when an error and an intentional walk put two on for Kogge, who singled to center to score Jacob Kaiser.

In the bottom of the seventh, Finley Dickinson led off by getting hit by a pitch. Gearhart followed with a single. After a sacrifice bunt, Hayden Davis grounded to second. The ball was misplayed, allowing Dickinson to score the tying run, followed by Gearhart for the game-ender.

Kogge took the loss after relieving Kasey Gross in the seventh. Gross scattered four hits and a walk over the first six innings.

Briston Wise walked six, but only gave up three hits and struck out four to get the win for Van Wert.

LINESCORE
St. Marys  101  000  1  -  3  3  2
Van Wert  200  000  2  -  4  5  3

WP - Wise

LP - Kogge

2B - SM: Rupert. VW: Wise.

Records: St. Marys 12-11, Van Wert 13-7.

Delphos St. John's 17, New Knoxville 1
(5 innings)

Cameron Elwer allowed just three singles and struck out eight as the Blue Jays run-ruled the Rangers in a Division VII sectional final at Stadium Park in Delphos.

St. John's (14-11) will face LCC (11-15) in the district semifinal next Thursday at a site to be determined.

The Blue Jays scored in all four of their at-bats, scoring five in the bottom of the first, one in the second, six in the third and five in the fourth.

TJ Werts went 3-for-4 with three RBI. Brayden Klaus had two hits.

LINESCORE
New Knoxville  001  00  -  1  3  4
St. John's  516  5x  -  17  10  1

WP - C. Elwer

LP - Lammers

2B - DSJ: Lindeman, Martz.

Records: New Knoxville 2-14, Delphos St. John's 14-11.

REGULAR SEASON BASEBALL
Fort Loramie 4,
Marion Local 2

The Redskins plated three runs in the bottom to take a 3-2 lead and never looked back in a recently-scheduled game in Fort Loramie.

Bryant Meier took the loss, allowing just six hits and three walks with just one earned run.

Griffin Bruns had two hits for Marion.

LINESCORE
Marion Local  020  000  0  -  2  7  3
Fort Loramie  000  301  x  -  4  6  2

WP - Hart

LP - Meier

2B - FL: Goubeaux, L. Hart.

Records: Marion Local 14-8, Fort Loramie 15-10.